Compare towns
Newcastle vs Brewer vs Alna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newcastle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Alna has the most kids (32.9% 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 | Newcastle | Brewer | Alna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,913 |
9,652Highest |
818Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
| Newcastle and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±1.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Newcastle and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$93,125±$16kHighest 25% above ME |
| Alna and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$367,400±$55k 24% above ME |
| Newcastle and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,088±$176 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,667 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 30% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Alna 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Brewer Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Brewer High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.