Compare towns
Brewer vs Phillips vs Strong
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%).
Phillips has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Phillips | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,094Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Phillips and Strong 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% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Phillips 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Brewer and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Brewer and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Phillips 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% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| 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.