Compare towns
Appleton vs Brewer vs Phippsburg
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 kids (20.9% under 18).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
9,652Highest |
2,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
| Phippsburg 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%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Appleton 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%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Appleton 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 |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,022±$346Lowest 10% 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 |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Phippsburg 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 01 - LKRSU |
| 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 |
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.