Compare towns
Brewer vs Mount Tabor vs Ellsworth
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).
Mount Tabor has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Mount Tabor | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
304Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
57.8±10.6Highest 49% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
42.4%±18.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Tabor and Brewer 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% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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. |
— | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Ellsworth and Brewer 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. |
$420,500±$76kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,143±$367Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$5,233Highest 68% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer 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% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
46 minHighest 72% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Tabor and Ellsworth 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.