Compare towns
Bath vs Epping vs Freeport 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Epping | Freeport | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
7,430Lowest |
8,802 |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Freeport and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Freeport 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% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Freeport 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Bath 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. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Freeport and Epping 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. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Freeport and Epping 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. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Epping and Freeport 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Freeport 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Freeport 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #4 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Epping School District | RSU 05 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Epping High School | Freeport High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
12.2 |
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.