Compare towns
Hermon vs Brewer vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ellsworth has the oldest population (median age 43).
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 | Hermon | Brewer | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,727Lowest |
9,652Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 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+ | 37.6% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 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 | $96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Hermon and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest 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 | 6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hermon and Ellsworth 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
14.0 |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.