Compare towns
Bath vs Kittery vs Needham 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).
Kittery has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Kittery | Needham | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
10,473 |
32,459Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 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. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Kittery Public Schools | Needham | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Needham High | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
11.9 |
14.0 |
| 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.