The Town FilesBrewer, Maine
City in Penobscot County · population 9,672 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,300
- Household income
- $66,613
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 40.1
Brewer is a city of 9,672 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $245,300, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Maine towns, more walkable than 96% of Maine towns, hipper than 93% of Maine towns.
How Brewer ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brewer is worth $245,300, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $66,613, which is more affordable than 43% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,086 a month. 59.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brewer | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,300 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,086 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $66,613 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 59.7% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Brewer
| People | Brewer | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 16.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in Brewer
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.6 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brewer since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 2, 1958 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 2, 1958.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on July 18, 2006.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Brewer itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Brewer
2 public schools with 1,564 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewer Community School | PK-8 | 860 | 11.9 |
| Brewer High School | 9-12 | 704 | 15.0 |
Towns near Brewer
- Holden, ME3.3 mi · 3,277 people · home $289,400
- Bangor, ME4.1 mi · 31,753 people · home $219,600
- Hampden, ME5.8 mi · 4,516 people · home $285,900
- Orono, ME6.7 mi · 11,183 people · home $272,600
- Orrington, ME6.8 mi · 3,812 people · home $309,000
- Orono, ME6.9 mi · 10,185 people · home $262,900
- Hampden, ME8.1 mi · 7,709 people · home $301,300
- Glenburn, ME9.2 mi · 4,648 people · home $276,900
Brewer questions
Is Brewer, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brewer scores better for retirees than 20% of Maine towns and quieter than 3%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Brewer?
The median owner-occupied home in Brewer is valued at $245,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,613, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,086 a month.
What is the weather like in Brewer?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 74.6 inches of snow.
Does Brewer get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brewer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 2, 1958. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)