Compare towns
Brewer vs Wolfeboro vs Bangor
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 most kids (20.9% under 18).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Wolfeboro | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
6,571Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bangor 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. |
$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Wolfeboro 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±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Brewer 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. |
$4,531Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Bangor 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% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 36% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #46 of 120 in NH | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.1Lowest |
13.3 |
| 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.