Compare towns
Brewer vs Ogunquit vs Waterville
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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
1,379Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Waterville 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Brewer 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
— | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Brewer and Waterville 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 |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.