Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs West Bath 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 the most renters (47.3% rent).
West Bath has the most homeowners (82.3%).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | West Bath | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
33,364Highest |
1,863Lowest |
17,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
37.9±2.2 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Brunswick 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Bath 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$70,722±$5k 12% below U.S. |
| West Bath 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. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
$363,200±$18k 9% above U.S. |
| Dover and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
$1,465±$100 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. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,477 44% 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% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.8%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Bath 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.3% 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. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±4.2 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 |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District | West Bath Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
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.