Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Sandgate vs West Bath
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).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Sandgate | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
435Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Bath 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%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Sandgate 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% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%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% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 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. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath 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. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Bath 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. |
— | $1,112±$327Highest 21% below U.S. |
| West Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 23% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,516 13% 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% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% 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% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% 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. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.