Compare towns
Brewer vs Saco vs Old Town
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Saco | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
20,819Highest |
7,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
| Saco and Brewer 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% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 11% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$208,100±$26kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$989±$100Lowest 13% below ME |
| Saco and Brewer 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,153Lowest 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
21.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1963 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
20 min 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town and Saco 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | 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 |
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.