Compare towns
Otisfield vs Brewer vs Dresden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Otisfield has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
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 | Otisfield | Brewer | Dresden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,951 |
9,652Highest |
1,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±4.8Highest 27% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
| Otisfield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Otisfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,271±$15kHighest 13% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$74,844±$22k about the ME average |
| Otisfield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $317,200±$35kHighest 7% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,300±$872Highest 14% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,194±$502 5% above ME |
| Otisfield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,652 13% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,500Lowest 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.3%±92.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Otisfield and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 34% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town |
| 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.