Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Topsham 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).
Topsham has the most homeowners (78.9%).
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 | Topsham | Bath | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
9,706Highest |
8,815 |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Bath and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Topsham 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% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Topsham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Topsham 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 11% below ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Topsham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% 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% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Mt Ararat High School | Morse High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.2Lowest |
14.8Highest |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.