Compare towns
Brewer vs Stetson vs Gardiner
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).
Stetson has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Stetson | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,151Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42.2±5.1Highest 6% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Stetson and Gardiner 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% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson 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% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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 |
$76,023±$28kHighest about the ME average |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Stetson and Gardiner 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 |
$205,700±$34kLowest 31% below ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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 |
$800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner 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 |
$1,962Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Brewer 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% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Stetson 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 | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.