Compare towns
Bath vs Readfield vs Brewer vs Woolwich
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%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Woolwich has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Readfield | Brewer | Woolwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,651Lowest |
9,652Highest |
3,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Woolwich and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Woolwich 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% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$102,175±$26kHighest 37% above ME |
| Woolwich and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$254,500±$59k 14% below ME |
| Readfield and Bath 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 |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
— |
| Readfield 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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Woolwich and Brewer 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
13.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #92 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 38 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.5Lowest |
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.