Compare towns
Brewer vs Dover 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).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k 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 | Dover | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
5,930 |
5,161Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.1±6.3 6% above U.S. |
| Dover and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±7.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Hampden 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Dover 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. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$112,228±$22k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$285,900±$33k 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,133±$375 20% below U.S. |
| Dover and Hampden 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,863 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.2%±18 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Hampden 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #1 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | — |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.