Compare towns
Rockland vs Brewer vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
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 | Rockland | Brewer | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,035Lowest |
9,652Highest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 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 | $56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$38k 17% below ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
| Bath and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Rockland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,059Highest 34% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948 29 yrs older than ME |
1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 50% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Oceanside High School | Brewer High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.0 |
14.8Highest |
| 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.