Compare towns
Brewer vs Ellsworth 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 youngest population (median age 40.1).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | Ellsworth | Mapleton | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,657 |
1,884Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Ellsworth 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% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest 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% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest 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 |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below 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 |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% 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±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% 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 |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 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 |
25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Bangor 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | 13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.