Compare towns
Bath vs Saco vs York 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 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 | Saco | York | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
20,819Highest |
13,986 |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| York and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| York 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| York 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% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest 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 |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| York and Saco 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 |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| York and Saco 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| York 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%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 |
1977 same as ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 3% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| York 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Saco Public Schools | York Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | York High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
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.