Compare towns
Brewer vs Gray vs Gorham vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Gray | Gorham | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,429Lowest |
18,300 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Gray and Bangor 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest 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 |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Gorham and Gray 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.5Lowest |
12.9 |
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.