Compare towns
Brewer vs Farmington vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Farmington has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
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 | Farmington | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,157Lowest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
38.2±3.3Lowest 15% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.7%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
20.6%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$54,276±$7kLowest 27% below ME |
$69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$166,600±$18kLowest 44% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$902±$106Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$1,958Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.2%±12.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 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 | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
15.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
55.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Farmington 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 | #64 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 09 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Mt Blue High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
14.2 |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.