Compare towns
Brewer vs Orland vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Orland | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,915 |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
| Orland and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Brewer 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% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Orland 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 11% below ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Orland 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 |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Orland 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 |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Dedham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.