Compare towns
South Berwick vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | South Berwick | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,670Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
40.1±4.8Highest 10% below ME |
| Brewer and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.