Compare towns

Bath vs Brunswick vs Dover vs Phippsburg

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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Phippsburg has the oldest population (median age 54.3).

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.

MeasureBathBrunswickDoverPhippsburg
People
Population
8,815
22,336
33,364Highest
2,238Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.4±3
17% above U.S.
40±2.8
about the U.S. average
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
54.3±6.3Highest
40% above U.S.
Phippsburg and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.5%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
17.2%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
11.5%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Brunswick and Dover 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%
22.9%±2.2
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
34.4%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
53.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
37.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
13.3%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
2.3%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,390±$12kLowest
14% below U.S.
$74,952±$6k
7% below U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$107,833±$19kHighest
34% above U.S.
Phippsburg and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$310,900±$30kLowest
7% below U.S.
$376,300±$15k
13% above U.S.
$436,700±$20kHighest
31% above U.S.
$335,800±$47k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,044±$116
26% below U.S.
$1,469±$99
4% above U.S.
$1,607±$100Highest
14% above U.S.
$1,022±$346Lowest
28% below U.S.
Dover and Brunswick 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.
$4,756
52% above U.S.
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$2,034Lowest
35% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
35.5%±98.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
9% below U.S.
23 min
11% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
21 minLowest
19% below U.S.
Work from home
19.3%±6
U.S.: 15.1%
19.8%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
11.7%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brunswick 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 #30 of 133 in ME #64 of 120 in NH —
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 Dover School District RSU 01 - LKRSU
High school in town Morse High School Brunswick High School Dover Senior High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8Highest
10.9Lowest
12.7
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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.