Compare towns
Bath vs Brunswick vs Ira vs Brewer
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).
Brunswick has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 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 | Brunswick | Ira | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
22,336Highest |
381Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Brunswick 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% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira 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% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%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% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$74,952±$6kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Brunswick and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$376,300±$15kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,469±$99Highest 4% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$4,756Highest 52% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above 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% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick 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% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 min 11% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | — | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brunswick High School | — | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.