Compare towns
Bath vs Kittery vs Wakefield 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).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k 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 | Wakefield | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
10,473 |
27,793Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%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. |
42.4±1.7 9% 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% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Wakefield 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest 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% |
59.7%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%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest 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. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% 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. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% 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. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Kittery 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. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% 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% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%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% |
70.7%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. |
1956 24 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. |
33 minHighest 26% 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% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Kittery 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Kittery Public Schools | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
10.7 |
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.