Compare towns
Carmel vs Brewer vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Newburgh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Carmel | Brewer | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941 |
9,652Highest |
1,475Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Carmel and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$244,600±$20kLowest 18% below ME |
| Carmel and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Carmel and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brewer and Carmel 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | 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 |
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.