Compare towns
Bath vs Smithfield vs Brewer vs West Bath
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%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k median).
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 | Smithfield | Brewer | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
856Lowest |
9,652Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| Smithfield and West 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 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bath 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and West 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% |
34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 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 |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Smithfield and West Bath 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 |
$242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath 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 |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,112±$327Highest about the ME average |
| West Bath and Smithfield 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 |
$2,866Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Brewer Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.