Compare towns
Bath vs Bar Harbor vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Bath | Bar Harbor | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
5,244Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
20 min 20% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Bath 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 | #2 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Mt Desert Island High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
8.2Lowest |
14.0 |
| 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.