Compare towns
Brewer vs Old Orchard Beach
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).
Old Orchard Beach has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
9,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$366,600±$38kHighest 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,246±$182Highest 9% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,426Highest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
22 minHighest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
7.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.