Compare towns
Brewer vs Gray vs Keene
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 kids (20.9% under 18).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Keene has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,429Lowest |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Gray and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest 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%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Keene 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Gray and Keene 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. |
$6,812Highest 118% 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% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.5 |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.