Compare towns
Bath vs Mapleton vs West Bath 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k median).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Mapleton | West Bath | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
1,884 |
1,863Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Brewer 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| West Bath and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,112±$327Highest about the ME average |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| West Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and West 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 79/MSAD 01 | West Bath Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 14.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.