Compare towns
Brewer vs Upton vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Upton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 17% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Blackstone Valley | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.