Compare towns
Sheffield vs Brewer vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Ryegate has the most people working from home (8.2%).
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 | Sheffield | Brewer | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573Lowest |
9,652Highest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8Highest 8% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6 6% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$66,484±$15k 18% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32k 34% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79 32% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,472Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sheffield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ryegate 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.