Compare towns
Whiting vs Bath vs Hancock vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
Bath has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Whiting | Bath | Hancock | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
1,097Highest |
435 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7 about the U.S. average |
48.6±8.6Highest 25% above U.S. |
33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
| Bath and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
$68,438±$30k 15% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$234,400±$23k 30% below U.S. |
$187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32k 28% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
$1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$939±$19Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
| Bath and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 36% above U.S. |
$4,413 41% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$5,438Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
5.9%±61.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athens and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Bath School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.