Compare towns
Brewer vs Needham vs Farmington
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Farmington has the most affordable homes ($167k 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 | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
32,459Highest |
8,157Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.2±3.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Needham and Brewer 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% |
10.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Farmington 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% |
38.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$54,276±$7kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$166,600±$18kLowest 50% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$902±$106Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$1,958Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Brewer 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #64 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Needham | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Needham High | Mt Blue High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
11.9Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.