Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Newfields vs Rockland
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Newfields | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
2,023Lowest |
7,035 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Rockland and Bath 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%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Newfields 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% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockland 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% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Newfields 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±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$245,800±$38k 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,092±$105 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,059 30% above 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% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rockland 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Rockland 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 | — | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Newfields School District | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 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.