Compare towns
Brewer vs Needham vs Westbrook
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 most affordable homes ($245k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Lowest |
32,459Highest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.4±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| 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% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Westbrook 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% |
41.3% 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% |
9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westbrook 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±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$85,038±$7k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$383,300±$19k 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,392±$74 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,005 28% above 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% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.2% 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. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Needham | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Needham High | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.0 |
| 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.