Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Ira
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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
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 | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest 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. |
$71,827±$5kHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Ira and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Bath and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Bath 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. |
$4,146Highest 33% 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% |
36.4%±100Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.