Compare towns
Bath vs Berlin vs Boylston vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Boylston has the highest household income ($141k).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Berlin | Boylston | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
3,378Lowest |
4,948 |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
49.7±2.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
48.2±2.3 24% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.1%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Bath 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 14% below U.S. |
$121,336±$12k 50% above U.S. |
$140,962±$28kHighest 75% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Boylston and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$616,600±$55kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$578,600±$47k 74% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,420±$933Highest 71% above U.S. |
$2,032±$350 44% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$7,116 128% above U.S. |
$7,266Highest 133% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±19.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berlin and Boylston 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Berlin-Boylston | Berlin-Boylston | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Tahanto Regional High | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
14.0 |
| 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.