Compare towns
Brewer vs Brunswick vs Upton
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 the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Brunswick | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
22,336Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brunswick and Brewer 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% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,469±$99Highest 4% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 11% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Brunswick 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Brunswick High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
10.9Lowest |
11.2 |
| 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.