Compare towns
Westbrook vs Rome vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westbrook has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Rome has the most homeowners (91.9%).
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 | Westbrook | Rome | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,775Highest |
1,215Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+13.7% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Rome and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Rome and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.1% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
$77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Westbrook and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Westbrook and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
$1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,005Highest 32% above ME |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 133 in ME | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | — | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | — | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| 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.