Compare towns
Harpswell vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harpswell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Harpswell | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,046Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.