Compare towns
Bath vs Ogunquit vs Salem 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Brunswick has the shortest commute (23 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 | Ogunquit | Salem | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
17,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
37.9±2.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brunswick and Salem 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$70,722±$5k 12% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$363,200±$18k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,465±$100 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,477 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.8%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Salem 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Salem | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | Salem High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.