Compare towns
Whitefield vs Brewer vs Dresden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitefield has the most people working from home (13.5%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dresden has the oldest population (median age 55.1).
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 | Whitefield | Brewer | Dresden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,157 |
9,652Highest |
1,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
| Dresden and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Whitefield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,875±$10k about the ME average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
| Dresden and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
| Brewer and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
| Dresden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,366Lowest 22% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Whitefield and Brewer 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 | RSU 12 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
— |
| 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.