Compare towns
Bath vs Old Orchard Beach vs Saco 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 most people working from home (19.3%).
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Saco | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
9,244 |
20,819Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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% |
42.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Saco and Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$1,246±$182 9% above ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Saco and Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$3,426 13% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest 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% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
22 min 11% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Saco 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 23 | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Old Orchard Beach High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
7.6Lowest |
— | 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.