Compare towns
Brewer vs Chapman vs Gray vs Mapleton
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).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
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 | Chapman | Gray | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
388Lowest |
8,429 |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
— | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Chapman and Gray 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% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman 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% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gray 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 |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Gray and Chapman 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 |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
— | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.