Compare towns
Brewer vs Gardiner vs Upton
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).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Gardiner | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
6,088Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42±3.6 8% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Gardiner 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Upton 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% |
29.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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. |
$71,782±$10k 11% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,113±$191Highest 21% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| 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 8% above U.S. |
$2,742Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Upton 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% |
10.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Gardiner 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 | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gardiner Area High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.8 |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.