Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs Phippsburg vs Brewer
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Phippsburg has the most homeowners (81.8%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Phippsburg | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
33,364Highest |
2,238Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54.3±6.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
| Phippsburg 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% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%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% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Dover 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$107,833±$19kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Phippsburg 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±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$335,800±$47k about the U.S. average |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,022±$346Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$2,034Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.