Compare towns
Brewer vs Gorham vs Ogunquit vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Gorham | Ogunquit | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
18,300 |
1,379Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below 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 |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
— | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gorham High School | — | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.9Lowest |
— | 13.3 |
| 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.