Compare towns
Brewer vs Brooks vs Hampden vs Ogunquit
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).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Brooks | Hampden | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,208Lowest |
7,896 |
1,379 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Brooks 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 |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Hampden 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 |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
— |
| Hampden and Brooks 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 |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 min 7% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 22 | — |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Hampden Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.