Compare towns
Brewer vs Damariscotta 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Damariscotta has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Damariscotta | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
2,192Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Damariscotta and Gardiner 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% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Damariscotta 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% |
31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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 |
$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME |
| Gardiner and Brewer 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 |
$363,500±$42kHighest 23% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,027±$88Lowest 10% 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 |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta 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% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Damariscotta 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 | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Great Salt Bay CSD | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.