Compare towns
Brewer vs Gray vs Jackson
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 most affordable homes ($245k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+26%).
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 | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,429 |
897Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+26%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
60.5±2.5Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
4.1%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jackson and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Gray 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. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$117,986±$46kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Jackson and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$719,300±$109kHighest 116% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,750±$1kHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Jackson and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,001Highest 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.1%±59.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jackson 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 | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Jackson School District |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.