Compare towns
Bath vs Williston vs Brewer vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
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 | Williston | Brewer | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
10,144 |
9,652 |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,469±$99 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #32 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Brewer Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Brewer High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.