Compare towns
Bath vs Wells vs Brewer vs Woolwich
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%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Woolwich has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Wells | Brewer | Woolwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
11,713Highest |
9,652 |
3,158Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Woolwich and Wells 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% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Woolwich and Wells 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% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$102,175±$26kHighest 37% above ME |
| Woolwich and Wells 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$254,500±$59k 14% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
— |
| Wells 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 |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Woolwich 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
13.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #92 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Wells High School | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
14.0 |
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| 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.