Compare towns
Brewer vs Middlesex vs Putney vs Hampden
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 affordable homes ($245k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,943Lowest |
2,622 |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest 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±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Hampden 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%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Middlesex 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%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest 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% |
45.9% 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% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$301,300±$38k 9% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Hampden 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. |
$1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| 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% |
22.2%±15.1 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
23 min 14% 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% |
21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.8Highest |
| 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.