Compare towns
Brewer vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs Bangor
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 youngest population (median age 40.1).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
31,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bangor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Needham | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Needham High | — | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— | 13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.