Compare towns
Somerville vs Brownfield vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k median).
Washington has the most people working from home (14.6%).
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 | Somerville | Brownfield | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
1,830Highest |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washington and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Washington and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Washington and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$59,861±$17kLowest 20% below ME |
| Somerville and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$195,200±$36kLowest 34% below ME |
| Brownfield and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265 39% above ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,036±$322Lowest 9% below ME |
| Brownfield and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505 17% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
32 min 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Washington and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.