Compare towns
Winthrop vs Brewer vs Wayne vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winthrop has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Winthrop | Brewer | Wayne | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,191 |
9,652Highest |
1,101Lowest |
4,262 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Durham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$41k about the ME average |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
| Wayne and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
— |
| Brewer and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,506 15% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.1%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Winthrop 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 | #12 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Winthrop Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Winthrop High School | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.