Compare towns

Brewer vs Durham vs Woolwich

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 kids (20.9% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Woolwich has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureBrewerDurhamWoolwich
People
Population
9,652
15,080Highest
3,158Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.1±4.8
3% above U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
55.8±5.5Highest
43% above U.S.
Kids under 18
20.9%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
15%±5.5
U.S.: 22%
Brewer and Woolwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.4%±3.6
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
33.9%±8.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Woolwich 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
52.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.7%±2.9
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$66,613±$9kLowest
17% below U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$102,175±$26k
27% above U.S.
Durham and Woolwich 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.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$254,500±$59k
24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,086±$54Lowest
23% below U.S.
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,374
8% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$2,433Lowest
22% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.7%±13.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±100
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Woolwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1959Lowest
21 yrs older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 minLowest
36% below U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
Work from home
6.9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.9%±6.2
U.S.: 15.1%
Durham and Woolwich 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 #9 of 120 in NH #92 of 133 in ME
School district Brewer Public Schools Oyster River Coop School District RSU 01 - LKRSU
High school in town Brewer High School Oyster River High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.0Highest
12.3Lowest
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On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 51 photos → 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.