Compare towns
Brewer vs Gardiner vs Ogunquit vs Wayne
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).
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 | Ogunquit | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
6,088 |
1,379 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Wayne 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 |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Wayne 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
— | $983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Gardiner and Brewer 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 |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Wayne 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 | #36 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gardiner Area High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.8Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.