Compare towns
Brewer vs Millbury vs Gardiner
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).
Millbury has the most expensive homes ($450k median).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k 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 | Millbury | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
13,961Highest |
6,088Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42.6±3.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
42±3.6 8% above U.S. |
| Millbury and Gardiner 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% |
20.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$118,790±$13kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$71,782±$10k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$450,100±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,623±$232Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,113±$191 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$5,406Highest 73% above U.S. |
$2,742Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Millbury and Gardiner 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 | #202 of 282 in MA | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Millbury | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Millbury Junior/Senior High | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.3Lowest |
11.8 |
| 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.