Compare towns
Brewer vs Chapman vs Mapleton vs Surry
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).
Surry has the most expensive homes ($296k 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 | Mapleton | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
388Lowest |
1,884 |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Chapman 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest 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%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Chapman 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Chapman 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±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Brewer 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 |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Brewer and Surry 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 |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Surry 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.