Compare towns
Bangor vs Williston 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 renters (52.8% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Brewer has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Williston | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
10,144 |
9,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Williston 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% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 25% below U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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.