Compare towns
Auburn vs Brewer vs Ogunquit vs Lewiston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Lewiston has the most renters (48.8% 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 | Ogunquit | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602 |
9,652 |
1,379Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 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%±2 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lewiston 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±$5k 11% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
— | $986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Brewer and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | — | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Brewer High School | — | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.0 |
— | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.