Compare towns
Brewer vs Berwick 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Berwick has the most expensive homes ($323k 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 | Berwick | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,998Lowest |
5,161 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42.6±3.6Highest 5% below ME |
41.1±6.3 8% below ME |
| Berwick 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% |
22.5%±12.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Berwick 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% |
16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Hampden 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% |
35.4% ME: 36.2% |
47.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Berwick 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 |
$323,300±$36kHighest 9% above ME |
$285,900±$33k 4% below ME |
| Berwick and Hampden 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 |
$1,041±$901Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,133±$375Highest about the ME average |
| Hampden and Brewer 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 |
$3,806 25% above ME |
$3,863Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
25.2%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73% ME: 74.3% |
83.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Berwick 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 | #101 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.