Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Plainfield vs Ellsworth
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (80.9%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Plainfield | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
1,314Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Plainfield 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% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 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% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 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. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Ellsworth 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±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Bath 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±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brewer 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. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Ellsworth 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% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Plainfield 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.