Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Brewer, Maine
A $218,000 home here costs
$1,951per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $83,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,189. The real number is $762 higher every month, 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Penobscot County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Brewer against Penobscot County and Maine
| Measure | Brewer | Penobscot County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $218,100 | $193,800 |
| Median property tax | $3,253 | $2,435 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.492% | 1.256% |
| Median gross rent | $984 | $997 |
| Population | 9,654 | 153,571 |
The weather behind that power bill
Brewer sits in Penobscot County, which averages a high of 79.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 3.4°F in its coldest, with 44.27" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 337 cooling and 8,272 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Penobscot County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Penobscot County
Full Penobscot County cost breakdown · Every county in Maine
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Brewer averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Brewer every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Brewer I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Brewer?
A $218,000 home in Brewer, Maine costs approximately $1,951 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,189 principal and interest, $271 property tax, $65 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $182 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Brewer?
Brewer has an effective property tax rate of 1.492%, based on a median home value of $218,100 and median real estate taxes of $3,253. That is higher than the Penobscot County average of 1.256%.
What is the average home price in Brewer?
The median owner-occupied home value in Brewer, Maine is $218,100, against $193,800 across Penobscot County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Brewer?
Median gross rent in Brewer is $984 a month, against $1,951 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Brewer?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Brewer, Maine at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $83,500 a year. That covers the full $1,951 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Brewer, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Maine.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.