Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Damariscotta has the most people working from home (13.2%).
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.
| Measure | Damariscotta | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,192Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Damariscotta and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
| Brewer and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,500±$42kHighest 23% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
| Brewer and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 6% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Damariscotta 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Great Salt Bay CSD | 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 Our Story | 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.