Compare towns
Brewer vs Mapleton vs Searsmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,884 |
1,646Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.5±9.8Highest about the ME average |
| Searsmont 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% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Searsmont 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont 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±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Searsmont 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 |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Brewer 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$940±$311 17% below ME |
| Brewer and Searsmont 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 |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Searsmont 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont 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 | — | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | 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.