Compare towns
Brewer vs Ellsworth vs Bangor
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 kids (20.9% under 18).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Bangor has the most people working from home (10.1%).
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 | Ellsworth | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,657Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor 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±$9k 11% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Brewer 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 |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor 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 |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bangor and Ellsworth 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
13.3 |
| 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.