Compare towns
West Bath vs Boothbay vs Bath vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | West Bath | Boothbay | Bath | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
3,102 |
8,815 |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| Boothbay and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% ME: 36.2% |
51.9% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
| West Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
| West Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,147±$121 about the ME average |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516 16% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick 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 | — | — | #31 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | — | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Morse High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.