Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs Brunswick 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 population (median age 45.4).
Dover has the highest household income ($95k).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Dover | Brunswick | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
33,364Highest |
17,652 |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.9±2.2 about the U.S. average |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Dover 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$70,722±$5k 12% below U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Dover and Ellsworth 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. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$363,200±$18k 9% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,465±$100 4% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Dover and Brunswick 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,477 44% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.8%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #30 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.