Compare towns
Brewer vs Bangor 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 youngest population (median age 40.1).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Brewer | Bangor | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
31,938Highest |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
41±2.9Highest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden 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% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Bangor 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% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest 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±$9k 11% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
23 minHighest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Bangor High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
13.3Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.