Compare towns
Brewer vs Epping vs Ellsworth vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Epping has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Brewer | Epping | Ellsworth | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
7,430Lowest |
8,657 |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Bath and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
$69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Bath 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #77 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Epping School District | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Epping High School | Ellsworth High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
9.3Lowest |
12.7 |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.