Compare towns
Bath vs Freeport vs Eliot vs Brewer
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Freeport | Eliot | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,802 |
7,146Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Eliot and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 7% below ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Freeport 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±$30k 5% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Freeport and Eliot 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 |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Eliot and Freeport 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 |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 05 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Freeport High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
— | 14.0 |
| 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.