Compare towns
Bath vs Hardwick vs Brewer vs Ellsworth
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Hardwick | Brewer | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,965Lowest |
9,652Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Hardwick 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% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 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. |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Bath 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. |
$4,351Highest 39% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Hardwick 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 | #68 of 70 in VT | #32 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Hazen Union High School | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
14.0 |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.