Compare towns
Brewer vs Appleton vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Brewer | Appleton | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
1,360Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest 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+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% 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 | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% 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 | $3,374 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest 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 | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Bangor 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 13.3Lowest |
| 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.