Compare towns
Brewer vs Unity 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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Gardiner has the highest household income ($72k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,858Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
| Gardiner and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME |
| Gardiner and Brewer 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Gardiner 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.4 |
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.