Compare towns
Brewer vs Hanover 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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Old Town has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
11,685Highest |
7,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Highest 3% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
37±1.5 5% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Old Town 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Old Town and Brewer 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% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Hanover 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$989±$100Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Hanover High School | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
10.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.