Compare towns
Bath vs Bowdoinham vs Brewer vs Woolwich
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Bowdoinham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Woolwich has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
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 | Bowdoinham | Brewer | Woolwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
3,142Lowest |
9,652Highest |
3,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
51.9±13.1 16% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Woolwich and Bowdoinham 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% |
17.5%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bowdoinham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Woolwich 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.8% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| 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 7% below ME |
$108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$102,175±$26k 37% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Woolwich 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 |
$405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$254,500±$59k 14% below ME |
| Bowdoinham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
— | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
— |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$2,958 about the ME average |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Bowdoinham and Woolwich 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% |
13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
13.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest 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 |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
27 min 10% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham 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 | #73 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #92 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.