What stands out worked out from the figures below

Conway has the most people working from home (13.4%).

Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Conway	Brewer
People
Population	10,141Highest	9,652Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	55±4.1Highest 41% above U.S.	40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	35.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	22.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brewer and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,385±$8kLowest 20% below U.S.	$66,613±$9kHighest 17% below U.S.
	Brewer and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$314,000±$43kHighest 6% below U.S.	$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,095±$141Highest 23% below U.S.	$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S.
	Conway and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,087Highest 31% above U.S.	$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±13.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Brewer and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 22% below U.S.	17 minLowest 36% below U.S.
Work from home	13.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Conway and Brewer 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	#76 of 120 in NH	#32 of 133 in ME
School district	Conway School District	Brewer Public Schools
High school in town	Kennett High School	Brewer High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Lowest	14.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.