Compare towns
Bath vs Hanover vs Lee 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 population (median age 45.4).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Lee | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
11,685Highest |
4,576Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
| Bath and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Brewer 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% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Lee 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Lee 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. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
— | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Brewer 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Hanover High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 10 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.