Compare towns
Brewer vs Augusta vs Old Town
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 renters (46.2% rent).
Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
19,077Highest |
7,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
| Augusta and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Old Town and Brewer 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% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest 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% |
36.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Town 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 |
$51,585±$10k 31% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Town 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 |
$208,100±$26k 30% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Town 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 |
$989±$100 13% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Town 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 |
$3,153 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Old Town 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% ME: 10.7% |
21.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
59.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME |
1963 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
20 minHighest 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town and Augusta 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 | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Cony | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
17.9Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.