Compare towns
Brewer vs Castleton vs Hampden
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 renters (40.3% rent).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
4,453Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%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±2.9Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Brewer 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% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Castleton 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% |
45.9%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% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$301,300±$38kHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,286±$317Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Hampden and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,694Highest 18% 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% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #39 of 70 in VT | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.