Compare towns
Brewer vs Carmel vs Newburgh
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Newburgh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Carmel | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
2,941 |
1,475Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Newburgh 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% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Newburgh 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% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Newburgh 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 11% below ME |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Carmel and Newburgh 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 |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$244,600±$20kLowest 18% below ME |
| Carmel and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Carmel and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Brewer 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brewer and Carmel 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| 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.