Compare towns
Appleton vs Brewer vs Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
9,652Highest |
6,088 |
| 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 |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Appleton and Gardiner 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% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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 |
$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME |
| Gardiner 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Brewer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner and Appleton 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 |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Appleton 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 | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| 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.