Compare towns
Brewer vs Middlesex vs Putney 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
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Middlesex | Putney | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
1,943Lowest |
2,622 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Bangor 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Middlesex 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Putney 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. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Putney 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. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Putney 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 13.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.