Compare towns
Bath vs Nelson vs Brunswick
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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Nelson has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Nelson | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
648Lowest |
17,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
37.9±2.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bath and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$70,722±$5k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$363,200±$18kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Brunswick and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,465±$100Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Brunswick and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,477 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.8%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nelson 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 | — | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Nelson School District | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.