Compare towns
Brewer vs Mapleton vs Phippsburg vs Gardiner
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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Phippsburg has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Phippsburg | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,238 |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 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±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Phippsburg 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,022±$346 10% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner and Brewer 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,034 33% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Gardiner 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Phippsburg 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 | — | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.