Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Mapleton vs Bangor 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Brewer has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Mapleton | Bangor | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
1,884Lowest |
31,938Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41±1.3 8% 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%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 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+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Brewer 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Bangor 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Bangor High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 13.3 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.