Compare towns
Bath vs Devens vs Brewer vs Ellsworth
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).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Devens | Brewer | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
1,723Lowest |
9,652Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Devens 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% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Devens and Brewer 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. |
$5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Ellsworth 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% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0 |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.