Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Ogunquit vs Sanford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Ogunquit | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652 |
1,379Lowest |
22,247Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 7% below ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$72,524±$7k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
— | $1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
| Sanford and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,708 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| 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% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | — | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | — | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
14.0Lowest |
— | 17.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.