Compare towns
Brewer vs Exeter vs Saco
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 affordable homes ($245k median).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Saco has the most homeowners (72.8%).
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 | Exeter | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Lowest |
16,151 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Exeter 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 17% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Saco 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Saco 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 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.