Compare towns
Brewer vs Washington vs Old Town
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 expensive homes ($245k median).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Washington | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,624Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
| Washington and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME |
| Brewer and Washington 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 |
$195,200±$36kLowest 34% below ME |
$208,100±$26k 30% below ME |
| Brewer and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
$989±$100Lowest 13% below ME |
| Brewer and Washington 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 |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,153 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
21.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1963 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
20 min 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town and Washington 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 | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | 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 |
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.