Compare towns
Bath vs Waterville vs Brunswick
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 population (median age 45.4).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Waterville | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
17,077 |
17,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
37.9±2.2 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Brunswick 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Waterville and Brunswick 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 |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$70,722±$5kHighest 5% below ME |
| Brunswick 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Brunswick 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Waterville Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Waterville Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.