Compare towns
Brewer vs Surry vs Hampden
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 most renters (40.3% rent).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Hampden has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Surry | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,836Lowest |
5,161 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.1±6.3 8% below ME |
| Surry and Hampden 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% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden 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 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
47.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Hampden 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 |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$285,900±$33k 4% below ME |
| Surry and Hampden 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 |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,133±$375Highest about the ME average |
| Hampden 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 |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,863Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.2%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Surry 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 | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Surry Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| 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.