Compare towns
Brewer vs Castleton vs Ira vs Old Town
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Castleton has the highest household income ($74k).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Ira | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
4,453 |
381Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
37±1.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Old Town and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% 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% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Castleton and Old Town 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 17% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Ira 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 23% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$989±$100 30% 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 | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,153Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | — | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.