Compare towns
Waltham vs Brewer vs Rupert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Rupert has the most expensive homes ($363k 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 | Waltham | Brewer | Rupert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
9,652Highest |
676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
57.8±9.7 49% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
42.3%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$88,229±$36k 9% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51k about the U.S. average |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$362,500±$63kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rupert and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
— |
| Waltham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,594 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±9.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waltham and Rupert 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 | — | 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 | 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.