Compare towns
Sanford vs Ogunquit vs Brewer vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Sanford | Ogunquit | Brewer | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,247Highest |
1,379Lowest |
9,652 |
3,125 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±0.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,524±$7k about the ME average |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
— | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Sanford and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,708 22% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,543 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 14% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 133 in ME | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sanford Public Schools | — | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Sanford High School | — | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.7Highest |
— | 14.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.