Compare towns
Bangor vs Brewer vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Brewer has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Bangor | Brewer | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938 |
9,652Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Needham and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Brewer Public Schools | Needham |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Brewer High School | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
14.0Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.