Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Keene
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Keene has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
9,652 |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest 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%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest 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% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Keene 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. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% 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% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest 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% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.