Compare towns
Brewer vs Gardiner vs Gorham vs Ogunquit
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).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Gardiner | Gorham | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
6,088 |
18,300Highest |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Gorham 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 |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gardiner Area High School | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.8Lowest |
12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.