Compare towns
West Bath vs Mount Vernon 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 expensive homes ($423k median).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Mount Vernon | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863 |
1,716Lowest |
2,238Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
47.1±6.2Lowest 5% 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% |
20.7%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Vernon and West Bath 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% |
26.5%±1.5Lowest 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% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| West Bath and Phippsburg 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 |
$74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$264,200±$23kLowest 11% 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 |
$893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,022±$346 10% below ME |
| West Bath and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516Highest 16% above ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath and Phippsburg 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% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and West Bath 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 38 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.