Compare towns
Bath vs Kittery vs South Eliot 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).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
South Eliot has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | Kittery | South Eliot | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
10,473Highest |
4,203Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7 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% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
$475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,442 46% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Brewer 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
67.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
20 min 19% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Kittery Public Schools | — | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Robert W Traip Academy | — | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.