Compare towns
Bath vs Eliot vs Exeter 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).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
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 | Eliot | Exeter | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
7,146Lowest |
16,151 |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Exeter 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brunswick and Exeter 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Eliot 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. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,469±$99 4% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Brunswick 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.1 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.