Compare towns
Bath vs Williston vs Brewer vs Rockland
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 youngest population (median age 40.1).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
10,144Highest |
9,652 |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest 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%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockland 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Williston 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 14% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% 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. |
$245,800±$38k 26% below 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. |
$1,092±$105 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,059 30% 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% |
57.6%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rockland 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% |
10.4% 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% |
62% 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. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% 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% |
22.1%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Brewer Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Brewer High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.