Compare towns
Brewer vs Ogunquit vs Surry vs Farmington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Surry | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,836 |
8,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
-2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
38.2±3.3Lowest 15% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
10.6%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
20.7%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
20.6%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$54,276±$7kLowest 27% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$166,600±$18kLowest 44% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
— | $969±$129 15% below ME |
$902±$106Lowest 21% below ME |
| Brewer and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$1,958 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.2%±12.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
15.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
55.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
20%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | — | #64 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | Surry Public Schools | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | None in town | Mt Blue High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.