Compare towns
Bangor vs Brewer vs Upton
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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
9,652 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Upton 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% |
53.5%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% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Brewer Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Brewer High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
14.0Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.