Compare towns
Appleton vs Brewer vs Chapman vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Appleton | Brewer | Chapman | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
9,652Highest |
388Lowest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Chapman and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Brewer and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
— | $950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton 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 | Appleton Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
— | — |
| 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.