Compare towns
Brewer vs Gorham vs West 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 affordable homes ($245k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | Gorham | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
18,300Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West 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% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Gorham and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Gorham and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Gorham and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and West 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.