Compare towns
Bath vs Rockland vs Upton vs Brewer
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Brewer has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Rockland | Upton | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
7,035Lowest |
8,189 |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Rockland and Upton 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% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockland 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,800±$38k 26% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,092±$105Highest 23% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Rockland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$4,059 30% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rockland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
62% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Oceanside High School | Blackstone Valley | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
14.0 |
| 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.