Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Camden vs Freeport
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).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Camden has the oldest population (median age 52.2).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Brewer | Camden | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
5,242Lowest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.2±6.5Highest 17% above ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
| Camden and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Freeport 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% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Freeport 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% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 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 |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$82,344±$15k 10% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Freeport and Camden 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
| Camden and Freeport 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±$54 5% below ME |
$1,269±$354 11% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
| Freeport and Camden 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 |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
$5,042 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Brewer 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.5% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Camden and Freeport 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #11 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | None in town | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.