Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Westbrook
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 population (median age 45.4).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
9,652 |
20,775Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook and Brewer 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 |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
| Westbrook 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 5% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
12.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.