Compare towns
Brewer vs Walden vs Old Town
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).
Walden has the most homeowners (93.8%).
Old Town has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | Walden | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,037Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
37±1.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Old Town 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% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Old Town and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$51,585±$10kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Walden 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 26% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$208,100±$26kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$989±$100 30% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Old Town 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. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
$3,153Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±11.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.