Compare towns
Bath vs Brunswick vs Gardiner
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).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Brunswick | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
22,336Highest |
6,088Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Bath and Gardiner 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% |
17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Gardiner 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% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$74,952±$6kHighest about the ME average |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Brunswick and Gardiner 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 |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| 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 ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1944 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brunswick High School | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.9Lowest |
11.8 |
| 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.