Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs Gray vs Brunswick
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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Gray | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
33,364Highest |
8,429Lowest |
22,336 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
40±2.8 about the U.S. average |
| Bath and Gray 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% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Gray and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$99 4% above 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% 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% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8Highest 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7 |
12.5 |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.