Compare towns
Cushing vs Brewer vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Cushing | Brewer | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
9,652Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Cushing and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Cushing and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Cushing and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Union 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 | RSU 13 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town |
| 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.