Compare towns
Bath vs Bow vs Dunbarton 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).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Bow | Dunbarton | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,335 |
3,097Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Bow 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Dunbarton 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Bow High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— | 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.