Compare towns
Brewer vs Ellsworth vs Ogunquit vs Steuben
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k 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 | Ellsworth | Ogunquit | Steuben |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,657 |
1,379Lowest |
1,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Steuben 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%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
— | $678±$319Lowest 40% 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 | $3,374 11% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,029Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 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 24 |
| 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 History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.