Compare towns
Brewer vs Wayne 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).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Wayne | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,101Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| Wayne 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 |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
| 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 |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Wayne 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Hampden 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 | RSU 38 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.