Compare towns
Westbrook vs Wayne 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,775Highest |
1,101Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Westbrook 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Lowest 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±$7k 14% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Wayne and Westbrook 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Westbrook and Wayne 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 |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,005Highest 32% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 38 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | None in town | 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.