Compare towns
Brewer vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Needham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
32,459Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Needham and Ellsworth 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Needham | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Needham High | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.7 |
| 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.