Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gorham vs Bath vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Bath has the oldest population (median age 45.4).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 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 | Ellsworth | Gorham | Bath | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
18,300Highest |
8,815 |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 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+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Gorham 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gorham High School | Morse High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.9 |
14.8Highest |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.