Compare towns
West Bath vs Palermo 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).
Palermo has the most kids (18.1% under 18).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
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 | Palermo | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863 |
1,473Lowest |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Palermo and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Lowest 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% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath 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±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| West Bath and Palermo 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 |
$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME |
$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 |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Palermo and West Bath 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 |
$2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and 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% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Palermo 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 | — | — | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 12 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
| 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.