Compare towns
Brewer vs Gray vs Upton vs Old Town
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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Old Town has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Gray | Upton | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,429 |
8,189 |
7,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
37±1.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Upton and Gray 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% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Old Town 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%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Old Town and Brewer 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 17% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$989±$100 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,153Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Old Town 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Blackstone Valley | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.5 |
11.2Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.