Compare towns
Dayton vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dayton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Dayton | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,313Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5Highest 6% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Dayton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867Highest 7% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Dayton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,872Highest 28% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | 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 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.