Compare towns
Smithfield vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Smithfield | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 856Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
| Brewer and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Smithfield and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,866Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.