Compare towns
Brewer vs Dedham vs Dummer 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).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Dummer has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Dedham | Dummer | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,656 |
299Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Dedham 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% |
18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Dummer 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% |
49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$111,442±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$91,250±$21k 13% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Dedham 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. |
$356,400±$33kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$242,200±$51kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$301,300±$38k 9% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Hampden 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. |
$1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Hampden 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. |
$3,942Highest 26% above U.S. |
$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13%±85.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest 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 | — | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | — | 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 | 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.