Compare towns
Bath vs Exeter vs Ellsworth 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 renters (35.7% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Exeter | Ellsworth | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
16,151 |
8,657Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,469±$99 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Ellsworth Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Exeter High School | Ellsworth High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.1 |
12.7 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 5 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.