Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Saco vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Saco | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
20,819Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Saco and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% above ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Saco 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 18% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Saco and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 3% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| 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.