Compare towns
West Bath vs Sumner vs Northport
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 highest household income ($103k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Northport has the oldest population (median age 56.6).
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 | Sumner | Northport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Highest |
845Lowest |
1,621 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Lowest 21% above ME |
56.1±8.4 25% above ME |
56.6±3.8Highest 26% above ME |
| Northport and Sumner 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% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| West Bath and Northport 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 |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$73,523±$8k about the ME average |
| West Bath and Northport 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$343,400±$36k 16% above ME |
| West Bath and Northport 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 |
— | $1,088±$299Lowest 4% below ME |
| West Bath and Northport 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 |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,721 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Northport 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 | Northport Public Schools |
| 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.