Compare towns
Bath vs Sheldon vs Kittery 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).
Sheldon has the most homeowners (89%).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Sheldon | Kittery | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,267Lowest |
10,473Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%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. |
40.9±3.5 5% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery 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% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 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. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
$93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379 9% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Sheldon 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. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$4,518Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Kittery Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
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.