Compare towns
Appleton vs Brewer vs Ellsworth
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).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
9,652Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Ellsworth 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%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% 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 |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth 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% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth 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 | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.