Compare towns
Whiting vs Bath vs Salisbury 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 youngest population (median age 39.6).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Salisbury | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
1,097 |
1,200Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.6±8.6 25% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Bath 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% |
16.6%±3.2 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%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Bath 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% |
34.6%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%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest 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±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$68,438±$30k 15% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 16% below U.S. |
$234,400±$23kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$306,900±$51kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32k 28% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Whiting 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±$309 about the U.S. average |
$1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$537Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,413 41% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% 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%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% 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. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athens and Bath 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| 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 | 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.