Compare towns
Bangor vs Woolwich 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).
Woolwich has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Woolwich | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
3,158Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5Lowest 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%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Woolwich and Brewer 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% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 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 |
$102,175±$26kHighest 37% above ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$254,500±$59kHighest 14% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Woolwich and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% 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 |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Woolwich 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% |
13.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Woolwich 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 | #92 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | 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 |
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.