Compare towns
Bath vs Hampton vs Saco 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).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($545k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Hampton | Saco | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
10,101 |
20,819Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
51.2±1.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
26.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton 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% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 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. |
$97,163±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Saco 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. |
$545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Saco 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. |
$6,872Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Bath 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 14.0Lowest |
| 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.