Compare towns
Brewer vs Calais vs Dummerston
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 renters (40.3% rent).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Calais | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,713Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Dummerston 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% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston 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% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Calais 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 17% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Calais 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| 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.