Compare towns
Bath vs Dayton vs Saco vs Brunswick
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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
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 | Dayton | Saco | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,313Lowest |
20,819 |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| Bath and Saco 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% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Brunswick 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% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 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% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
| Dayton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,215±$867 7% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 27% above ME |
$3,872 28% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,756 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dayton Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.