Compare towns
West Bath vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Phippsburg
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 people working from home (17.1%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,863 |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
2,238Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and West 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and West Bath 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
| West Bath and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,022±$346 10% below ME |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516 16% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,034 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| West Bath and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.