Compare towns

Cumberland vs Brewer

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k 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.

MeasureCumberlandBrewer
People
Population
8,647Lowest
9,652Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+17.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.9±4Highest
6% below ME
40.1±4.8Lowest
10% below ME
Cumberland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25.6%±3.7Highest
ME: 18.1%
20.9%±4.3Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Cumberland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.8%±2.9Lowest
ME: 22.4%
22.4%±3.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
Brewer and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
72.5%Highest
ME: 36.2%
35%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.6Lowest
ME: 5.8%
7.7%±2.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
Brewer and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$173,894±$20kHighest
133% above ME
$66,613±$9kLowest
11% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$616,800±$42kHighest
108% above ME
$245,300±$21kLowest
17% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,143±$759Highest
88% above ME
$1,086±$54Lowest
5% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,116Highest
134% above ME
$3,374Lowest
11% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
47.1%±31.3Lowest
ME: 48.4%
55.7%±13.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
Brewer and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.1%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
12.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
59.7%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1984Highest
7 yrs newer than ME
1959Lowest
18 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
about the ME average
17 minLowest
31% below ME
Work from home
25.3%±7Highest
ME: 15.9%
6.9%±2.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #25 of 133 in ME #32 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 51/MSAD 51 Brewer Public Schools
High school in town Greely High School Brewer High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
14.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.