Compare towns
Auburn vs Brewer vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Brewer has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Auburn | Brewer | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602 |
9,652Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Highest 8% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Auburn and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5kHighest 11% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Auburn and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687Highest 21% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 12% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Auburn and Bangor 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 | #110 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Brewer High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.0Highest |
13.3 |
| 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.