Compare towns
Appleton vs Brewer vs Mapleton vs Orland
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
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 | Mapleton | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
9,652Highest |
1,884 |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Orland 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Mapleton and Orland 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±$21k 17% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland 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±$54 5% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,149±$177Highest about the ME average |
| Orland 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,089 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland 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 | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town | — |
| 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.