Compare towns
Brewer vs Deerfield vs Lee
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%).
Deerfield has the highest household income ($106k).
Lee has the oldest population (median age 55.2).
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 | Deerfield | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
5,158Lowest |
5,719 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
51.8±3.6 33% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield 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±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$106,136±$14kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$414,900±$37kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$352,700±$19k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,334±$318 6% below U.S. |
$1,375±$212Highest about the U.S. average |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$3,980 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
18 min 33% below U.S. |
18 minHighest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Deerfield and Lee 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Deerfield · Frontier | Lee |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Frontier Regional | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.1 |
9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → |
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.