Compare towns
Brewer vs Ellsworth vs Lubec
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).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Lubec has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Lubec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,657 |
1,346Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
59.3±4.5Highest 32% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±4.2Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
41.2%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.2%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Lubec 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 |
$52,375±$11kLowest 30% 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 |
$188,700±$26kLowest 36% 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±$195 11% below ME |
$550±$204Lowest 52% below ME |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$2,039Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.6%±25.6Lowest 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% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1960 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.3%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 85/MSAD 19 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.