Compare towns
Bangor vs Brewer vs Ogunquit vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
9,652 |
1,379Lowest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest 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 | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
— | $969±$129Lowest 15% 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 | $3,076 about the ME average |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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 ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Brewer Public Schools | — | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Brewer High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
14.0Highest |
— | — |
| 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.