Compare towns
Bath vs Eliot vs West Bath vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | West Bath | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
7,146 |
1,863Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| West Bath and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Eliot 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 ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
| West Bath 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 5% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
| Eliot 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 8% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,469±$99 29% above ME |
| Eliot and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 9% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | West Bath Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.