Compare towns
Brewer vs Steep Falls vs Ellsworth
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).
Steep Falls has the most homeowners (80.2%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Steep Falls | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,861Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Ellsworth 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% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls 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% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$80,280±$33kHighest 7% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Ellsworth 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 |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Brewer and Steep Falls 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 |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Steep Falls 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 |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.