Compare towns
Brewer vs Needham vs Ogunquit 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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% 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. |
42±3.6 8% 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% |
16.6%±3.6 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% |
19.7%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.8%Lowest 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% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$71,782±$10k 11% 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. |
$221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,113±$191 21% 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. |
$2,742Lowest 12% 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% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±13.7 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% 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. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above 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% |
13.9%±4.1 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 | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Needham | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Needham High | — | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.9 |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.