Compare towns
Brewer vs Dedham vs Hampden
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 most renters (40.3% rent).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,656Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| 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 11% below ME |
$111,442±$18k 49% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| 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±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| 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 5% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
| Dedham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 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.