Compare towns
Brewer vs Franklin vs Hampden
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Franklin has the oldest population (median age 42.7).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Franklin | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,799 |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42.7±2Highest 10% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Franklin and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Hampden 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. |
$71,648±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$262,200±$22k 21% below U.S. |
$301,300±$38kHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Hampden and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,110±$68 21% below U.S. |
$1,286±$317Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Hampden and Franklin 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. |
$4,886Highest 57% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Franklin 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% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #112 of 120 in NH | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Franklin School District | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Franklin High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
16.2Highest |
14.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.