Compare towns
Hampden vs Ellsworth vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Hampden | Ellsworth | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,161Lowest |
8,657 |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±6.3 8% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 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+ | 47.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 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 | $112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Hampden and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,900±$33kHighest 4% below ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$375Highest about the ME average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,863Highest 27% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.2%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest 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 | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 9% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #6 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Ellsworth Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Ellsworth High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.