Compare towns
Eliot vs Mapleton vs Brewer vs Rockport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
Rockport has the shortest commute (11 min average).
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 | Eliot | Mapleton | Brewer | Rockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
1,884Lowest |
9,652Highest |
3,675 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
48.7±3.7 9% above ME |
| Eliot and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±5.2 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+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9 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 | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$86,979±$16k 16% above ME |
| Eliot and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$469,000±$50k 58% above ME |
| Eliot and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,194±$667 5% above ME |
| Eliot and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 50% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$5,764Highest 90% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±42.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
11 minLowest 54% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot and Rockport 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #8 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Brewer Public Schools | Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Camden Hills Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.0Highest |
12.6Lowest |
| 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.