Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Dover vs Saco
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 most people working from home (19.3%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Saco has the most homeowners (72.8%).
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 | Brewer | Dover | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
9,652 |
33,364Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Bath and Saco 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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Dover 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% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 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% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Dover 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. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Saco 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Dover School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
12.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.