Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Brewer vs Blue Hill
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 oldest population (median age 49.3).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Blue Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,192Lowest |
9,652Highest |
2,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
| Damariscotta and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7Lowest 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% |
29.6%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Damariscotta and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$80,377±$17kHighest 8% above ME |
| Blue Hill and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,500±$42k 23% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
| Blue Hill and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,038±$638 9% below ME |
| Brewer and Blue Hill 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,907Lowest 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.2%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 6% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill and Damariscotta 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 | #29 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Great Salt Bay CSD | Brewer Public Schools | Blue Hill Public Schools |
| 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 Our Story | 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.