Compare towns
Fryeburg vs Brownfield vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fryeburg has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Stow has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Fryeburg | Brownfield | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,489Highest |
1,830 |
535Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±3.4 19% above ME |
39.9±6.8Lowest 11% below ME |
57±10.5Highest 27% above ME |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.9%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Stow and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,076±$15k 25% below ME |
$60,889±$5kHighest 19% below ME |
$42,204±$22kLowest 44% below ME |
| Brownfield and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,600±$30kLowest 9% below ME |
$287,500±$36k 3% below ME |
$326,400±$42kHighest 10% above ME |
| Stow and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$85Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,928Lowest 4% below ME |
$2,976 about the ME average |
$3,304Highest 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14.8 ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brownfield and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.7% ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
44 min 80% above ME |
51 minHighest 109% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±12Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Stow and Fryeburg 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 | #103 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.