Compare towns
Brewer vs Castle Hill vs Mapleton 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 expensive homes ($245k median).
Castle Hill has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Castle Hill | Mapleton | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
281Lowest |
1,884 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Mapleton 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% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 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% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 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±$9k 11% below ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Brewer 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 |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor 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 |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill 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% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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 | 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.