Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Hanson vs Ellsworth
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).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Hanson | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652 |
10,660Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Hanson and Brewer 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% |
19.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 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% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Hanson and Brewer 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. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$6,402Highest 105% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Ellsworth 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #149 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Whitman-Hanson | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
14.7 |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.