Compare towns
Brewer vs Carmel vs Mapleton vs Gardiner
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).
Carmel has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Carmel | Mapleton | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
2,941 |
1,884Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Carmel and Gardiner 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% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest 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%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Mapleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
| Carmel and Brewer 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 |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$2,662 12% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.