Compare towns
Brewer vs Castleton vs Bangor vs Ellsworth
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 kids (20.9% under 18).
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
Bangor has the most people working from home (10.1%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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.
| Measure | Brewer | Castleton | Bangor | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
4,453Lowest |
31,938Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
43±2.4Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ellsworth and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Ellsworth and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Highest 8% above U.S. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bangor and Ellsworth 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #37 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Bangor High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 13.3 |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.