Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Gorham vs Ellsworth
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 population (median age 45.4).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Gorham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652 |
18,300Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 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% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Gorham High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
12.9 |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.