Compare towns
Brewer vs Castle Hill vs Ogunquit vs Gardiner
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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Gardiner has the oldest housing (typical home built 1944).
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 | Castle Hill | Ogunquit | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
281Lowest |
1,379 |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
57.8±15.8 29% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Castle Hill 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% |
14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Castle Hill and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Gardiner 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 |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$950±$574Lowest 17% below ME |
— | $1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill 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 ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | — | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.