Compare towns
Brewer vs Lancaster vs Farmington
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).
Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Farmington has the most affordable homes ($167k 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 | Lancaster | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,606 |
8,157Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.2±3.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
10.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Farmington 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$54,276±$7kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$166,600±$18kLowest 50% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$902±$106Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$1,958Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Farmington 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #64 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Nashoba | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Mt Blue High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
— | 14.2Highest |
| 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.