Compare towns
Gray vs Brewer vs Hermon vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Gray | Brewer | Hermon | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,652Highest |
6,727Lowest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
| Gray and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Brewer Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Brewer High School | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.0 |
14.6Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.