Compare towns
Brewer vs Limestone vs Old Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Limestone | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,579Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
| Limestone and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Town and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$51,585±$10k 31% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$208,100±$26k 30% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$989±$100 13% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,153 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
21.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1963Highest 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
20 minHighest 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town and Limestone 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 | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
8.6Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.