Compare towns
Brewer vs Northbridge vs Old Town
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).
Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Northbridge | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
16,458Highest |
7,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
37±1.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Old Town and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Old Town 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% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Old Town 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. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
$989±$100Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$4,821Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,153Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Old Town and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Northbridge | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Northbridge High | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
10.8Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.