Compare towns
Brewer vs Rye vs Old Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Old Town has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Rye | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
5,611Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
37±1.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Old Town 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Old Town 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 17% below U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$989±$100Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$3,153Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Old Town 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Rye School District | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.