Compare towns
Brewer vs Smithfield vs Farmington
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%).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Farmington has the most affordable homes ($167k 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 | Smithfield | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
856Lowest |
8,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
38.2±3.3Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
10.6%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.7%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
20.6%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$54,276±$7kLowest 27% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$166,600±$18kLowest 44% below ME |
| Brewer and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$902±$106Lowest 21% below ME |
| Smithfield and Brewer 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 |
$2,866 6% below ME |
$1,958Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.2%±12.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Farmington 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
55.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
20%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Farmington 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 | — | #64 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | Mt Blue High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
— | 14.2Highest |
| 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.