Compare towns
Paris vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paris has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Paris | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,317Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Paris and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $75,137±$20kHighest about the ME average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Paris and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$57kLowest 19% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
| Brewer and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 9% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris 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 | #114 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | 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.