Compare towns
Appleton vs Brewer vs Hampden
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 most renters (40.3% rent).
Hampden has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
9,652Highest |
5,161 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.1±6.3 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Hampden 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% |
23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Brewer 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% |
18.6%±4.4Lowest 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% |
47.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Hampden 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 |
$112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$285,900±$33kHighest 4% below ME |
| Hampden and Brewer 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 |
$1,133±$375Highest about the ME average |
| Hampden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,863Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
25.2%±18Lowest 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% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.6%Highest 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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | #6 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 |
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.