Compare towns
Durham vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Durham | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Durham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | 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.