Compare towns
Bath vs Biddeford vs Waterville 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 the most people working from home (19.3%).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Biddeford | Waterville | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
22,498Highest |
17,077 |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Bath and Brewer 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% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Biddeford 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% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
| Biddeford 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 |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1952 25 yrs older than ME |
1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Waterville 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Biddeford Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Biddeford High School | Waterville Senior High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.1 |
12.8Lowest |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.