Compare towns
Bath vs Bristol vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Bristol has the highest household income ($101k).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Bristol | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,917Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 7% below ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
| Brewer and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1968Highest 9 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
18 min 28% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bristol Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0Lowest |
| 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.