Compare towns
Brewer vs Ellsworth vs Mapleton vs Hampden
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).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hampden has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
8,657 |
1,884Lowest |
5,161 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4% 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±6.3 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%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Mapleton 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% |
18.6%±4.4 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden 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 |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$285,900±$33kHighest 4% below ME |
| Hampden 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 |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,133±$375Highest about the ME average |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 11% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,863Highest 27% above ME |
| 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% |
25.2%±18 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.