Compare towns
Bath vs Surry vs Readfield 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).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Surry | Readfield | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
1,836Lowest |
2,651 |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Surry and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry 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% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 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 |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Readfield and Surry 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 |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% 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±$116 8% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% 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 |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Surry Public Schools | RSU 38 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Brewer High School |
| 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.