Compare towns
Brewer vs Wells 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k 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 | Wells | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
11,713Highest |
6,088Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Wells 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 |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Wells and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Wells and Gardiner 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 |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Wells High School | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.4Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.