Compare towns
Brewer vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Ellsworth
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 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+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.