Compare towns
Bath vs West Bath vs Saco 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 most people working from home (19.3%).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | West Bath | Saco | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
1,863Lowest |
20,819Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 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 |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| West Bath and Saco 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 |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| West Bath and Saco 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 |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Saco and West Bath 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 |
$3,516 16% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 16% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Saco 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | West Bath Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 14.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.