Compare towns
Brewer vs Damariscotta vs Old Town
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Damariscotta | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
2,192Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME |
37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
| Damariscotta 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 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 11% below ME |
$59,423±$11k 20% below ME |
$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME |
| Brewer and Damariscotta 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 |
$208,100±$26kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,027±$88 10% below ME |
$989±$100Lowest 13% below ME |
| Brewer and Damariscotta 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 |
$3,153Lowest 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
21.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
70%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1963 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
20 min 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town 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 | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Great Salt Bay CSD | 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 Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.