Compare towns
Cumberland vs Brewer vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the highest household income ($174k).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Freeport has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Cumberland | Brewer | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,647Lowest |
9,652Highest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±4 6% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
| Freeport and Cumberland 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%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Brewer 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% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Freeport 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 |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
| Cumberland and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
| Cumberland and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 134% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$5,042 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Brewer 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland and Freeport 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 | #25 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Greely High School | Brewer High School | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
14.0Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.