Compare towns
Brewer vs Dresden vs Gardiner
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).
Dresden has the oldest population (median age 55.1).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Dresden | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,645Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Dresden 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% |
24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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 |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Dresden and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$240,100±$29k 19% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Brewer and Dresden 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 |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Dresden and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,500Lowest 18% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 02 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.