Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Lee vs Hermon
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 affordable homes ($245k median).
Lee has the oldest population (median age 55.2).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Lee | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
5,719Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Brewer 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%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Hermon and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$352,700±$19kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Lee and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
| Hermon and Lee 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. |
$3,980Highest 28% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee and Brewer 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% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
18 min 31% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Lee | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Lee Middle/High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
9.2Lowest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.