Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Brewer vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Waterville has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Bakersfield | Brewer | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109 |
9,652Highest |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±8 19% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Waterville and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,300±$19kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$236,300±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93 21% below U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823 23% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$3,957Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville 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 | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Brewer Public Schools | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.