Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Hampden vs Mapleton
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).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Hampden | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
7,896 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Bath and Mapleton 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%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 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% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest 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 |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Bath and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Hampden and Brewer 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| 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% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 22 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Hampden Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0Lowest |
14.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.