Compare towns
Brewer vs Old Town vs Upton 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).
Old Town has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Old Town | Upton | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
7,470Lowest |
8,189 |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
37±1.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Old Town 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% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Old Town and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$989±$100 30% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
| 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 8% above U.S. |
$3,153Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Old Town 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 | #56 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 34 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Old Town High School | Blackstone Valley | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
12.8 |
11.2Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.