Compare towns
Brewer vs Caribou vs Limestone
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Caribou has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
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 | Caribou | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
7,382 |
1,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.7% ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
| Caribou and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Limestone 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% |
27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone 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±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$53,709±$9k 28% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% 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±$31k 55% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$757±$143 34% below ME |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$1,680 45% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.3%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1960Highest 17 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
19 minHighest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.5%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Caribou 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 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Caribou High School | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
14.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.