Compare towns
Orrington vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orrington has the most people working from home (11.4%).
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
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 | Orrington | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,853Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Orrington and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $94,556±$10kHighest 27% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$49kHighest 4% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Orrington and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,167±$135Highest about the ME average |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Orrington and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 13% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Orrington and Brewer 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 | #41 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Orrington Public Schools | 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 Our Story | 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.