What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).

Caribou has the most people working from home (12.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brewer	Caribou
People
Population	9,652Highest	7,382Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME	51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME
Kids under 18	20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1%	16.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Brewer and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Caribou 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%Highest ME: 36.2%	28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME	$53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME
	Brewer and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME	$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME	$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,374Highest 11% above ME	$1,680Lowest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4%	45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Brewer and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME	1960Highest 17 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minHighest 31% below ME	15 minLowest 40% below ME
Work from home	6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	12.5%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Caribou and Brewer 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	#59 of 133 in ME
School district	Brewer Public Schools	RSU 39
High school in town	Brewer High School	Caribou High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Lowest	14.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.