Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Hermon vs Mapleton vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the oldest population (median age 43).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 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 | Ellsworth | Hermon | Mapleton | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
6,727 |
1,884Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Hermon and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 min 8% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Hermon 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Hermon High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.