Compare towns
West Bath vs Newcastle 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).
Newcastle has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Newcastle | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
1,913 |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
49.4±7 10% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Newcastle and Brunswick 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% |
24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Newcastle 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% |
45.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
| West Bath and Newcastle 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 |
$398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
$376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
$1,363±$81 20% above ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,256 40% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Brunswick 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 | — | — | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | — | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.