Compare towns
Alfred vs Brewer vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Alfred | Brewer | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125Lowest |
9,652Highest |
4,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$87,284±$14kHighest 17% above ME |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$360,400±$44kHighest 22% above ME |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,063±$522 7% below ME |
| Brewer and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543Highest 17% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #74 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.