Compare towns
Brewer vs Phippsburg vs Bangor
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%).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Phippsburg | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
2,238Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bangor 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% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor 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 |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Bangor 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% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
21 minHighest 13% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Phippsburg and Bangor 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 13.3Lowest |
| 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.