Compare towns
Burke vs Brewer vs Kirby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burke has the highest household income ($87k).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Kirby has the most kids (30% under 18).
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 | Burke | Brewer | Kirby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,317 |
9,652Highest |
756Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.1±4.8Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
38.8±7.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Burke and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
30%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Kirby and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,143±$17kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$54,792±$21kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Burke and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,600±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$302,900±$63k 9% below U.S. |
| Burke and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$191Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,250±$326Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Kirby and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,177Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,597 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.6%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Burke and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Burke and Kirby 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 | — |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Brewer Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
— |
| 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.