Compare towns
Brewer vs Chester 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Chester | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
2,992Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
37±1.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Old Town and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$62,125±$8k 23% below U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Chester 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. |
$232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$989±$100 30% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Old Town 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. |
$4,262Highest 37% above U.S. |
$3,153Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Old Town 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% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Old Town and Chester 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Green Mountain Union High School | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
8.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.