Compare towns
Brewer vs Arrowsic vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
Arrowsic has the most expensive homes ($584k median).
Hampden has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Brewer | Arrowsic | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
597Lowest |
5,161 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
50.3±8.7Highest 12% above ME |
41.1±6.3 8% below ME |
| Arrowsic and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±11.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Arrowsic 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$99,107±$27k 33% above ME |
$112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$584,200±$150kHighest 97% above ME |
$285,900±$33k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,600±$412Highest 40% above ME |
$1,133±$375 about the ME average |
| Arrowsic and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,521 16% above ME |
$3,863Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25.2%±18 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.6%±9Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Arrowsic and Hampden 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| 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.