Compare towns
Bangor vs Castleton vs Brewer
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 people working from home (10.1%).
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Castleton | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
4,453Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
| Bangor and Brewer 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% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Castleton 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% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kHighest 26% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Brewer 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 |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$3,374Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 27% below U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bangor and Brewer 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #39 of 70 in VT | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| 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.