Compare towns
West Bath vs Brewer vs Hermon
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 most people working from home (17.1%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Brewer | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
9,652Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West 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+ | 50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
| West Bath and Hermon 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
| West Bath and Hermon 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 |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516Highest 16% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and West 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 minHighest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| West Bath and Hermon 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.