Compare towns
Bath vs Thomaston vs Brewer vs Hermon
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 most people working from home (19.3%).
Thomaston has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Thomaston | Brewer | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,769Lowest |
9,652Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
| Hermon and 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 |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
| Hermon 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 |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon and Thomaston 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1951 26 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #99 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 13 | Brewer Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Brewer High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0Lowest |
14.6 |
| 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.