Compare towns
Bath vs Harpswell 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).
Harpswell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Harpswell | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
5,046Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bath 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% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | 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 Our Story | 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.