Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Sutton 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 youngest population (median age 40.1).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Sutton | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652Highest |
9,452 |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%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. |
44.3±2.5 14% 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest 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% |
52.8%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% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% 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. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% 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. |
$1,190±$401Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,092±$105 23% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Rockland 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. |
$6,763Highest 117% 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% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest 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% |
5.8%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% |
89.7%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. |
1981Highest 1 yr 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. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Sutton | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Sutton High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
12.6 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.