Compare towns
Brewer vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Bangor
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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Sutton | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Sutton 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%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Lancaster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bangor 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Nashoba | Sutton | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Sutton High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
13.3 |
| 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.