Compare towns
Brewer vs Jackson vs Ogunquit vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waldo 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 | Jackson | Ogunquit | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
567Lowest |
1,379 |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ogunquit 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 11% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
— | $1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | — | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.