Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Ripton vs Bath vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Ripton | Bath | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
508Lowest |
8,815 |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% 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 | $3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Ripton 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.