Compare towns
Bath vs Dedham vs Otis 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 the most people working from home (19.3%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Otis has the oldest population (median age 54.7).
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 | Dedham | Otis | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
1,656 |
705Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Brewer 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% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Brewer 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$101,250±$27k 35% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Dedham and Otis 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 |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Dedham and Bath 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 |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Otis and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
30 min 22% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Dedham 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 | — | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dedham Public Schools | Otis Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | 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 | 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.