Compare towns
Brewer vs Barre vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
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 | Barre | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,412Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Barre 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 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 17% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$219,600±$10k 34% below U.S. |
| 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±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S. |
$1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Barre and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Highest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Spaulding Union High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
10.7Lowest |
13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.