Compare towns
Brewer vs Brooks vs Ogunquit vs Bangor
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).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Brooks | Ogunquit | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
1,208Lowest |
1,379 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Brooks 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest 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 |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Brewer 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
— | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Brooks 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 |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 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% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | — | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 13.3Lowest |
| 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.