Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Dover vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most homeowners (66.7%).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
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 | Ellsworth | Dover | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
33,364Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Highest 11% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Dover and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Dover School District | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Dover Senior High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.