Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Saco vs Upton
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Saco | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652 |
20,819Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton 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%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brewer 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% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 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% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest 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%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385Highest 12% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Saco 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. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% 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% |
50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Upton 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bath 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.