Compare towns
Bangor vs Unity vs Brewer
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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,858Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| 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%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest 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%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
| Brewer and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Bangor 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
21 minHighest 14% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Bangor 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
12.4Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.