Compare towns
Brewer vs Bristol vs Ellsworth
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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Bristol | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
2,917Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Bristol and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Brewer and Bristol 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 |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1968 9 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
18 min 28% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #16 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Bristol Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.