Compare towns
Brewer vs Ipswich vs Hampden
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).
Ipswich has the most expensive homes ($745k median).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Ipswich | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
13,930Highest |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
47.2±3.5Highest 21% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Ipswich and Hampden 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% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden 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% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Ipswich 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% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Hampden 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. |
$138,750±$16kHighest 72% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Ipswich and Hampden 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. |
$745,400±$40kHighest 124% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,598±$90Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
| Ipswich and Hampden 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. |
$7,960Highest 155% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Ipswich 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% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Ipswich 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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Ipswich | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Ipswich High | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
9.0Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.