Compare towns
West Bath vs Hampden vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k median).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | West Bath | Hampden | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
7,896 |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Hampden and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Hampden and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #6 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 22 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
14.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.