Compare towns
Brewer vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Old Town
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Old Town 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Town 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$208,100±$26k 30% below ME |
| Brewer and Appleton 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$989±$100 13% below ME |
| Appleton 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,153 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
21.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1963 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 min 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town and Appleton 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 | — | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.