Compare towns
Brewer vs Augusta vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Augusta | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Lowest |
19,077 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest 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 | $66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% 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 | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% 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 | $3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 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 | 12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
19 minHighest 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Cony | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
17.9Highest |
13.3Lowest |
| 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.