Compare towns
Brewer vs Ludlow 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 most expensive homes ($245k median).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Ludlow | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
444Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
46.1±5.8Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Ludlow and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow 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% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Mapleton 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 |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above 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 |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Brewer and Ludlow 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Ludlow 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% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Ludlow 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 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.