Compare towns

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

Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).

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.

MeasureMapletonBangorBrewer
People
Population
1,884Lowest
31,938Highest
9,652
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.2%
ME: +2.6%
-3.9%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+2%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.8±6Highest
7% below ME
41±1.3
8% below ME
40.1±4.8Lowest
10% below ME
Mapleton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
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+
18.3%±3.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
19.9%±1.9
ME: 22.4%
22.4%±3.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.3%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
35.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
35%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
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
$91,731±$25kHighest
23% above ME
$59,942±$7kLowest
20% below ME
$66,613±$9k
11% below ME
Mapleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$191,800±$23kLowest
35% below ME
$219,600±$10k
26% below ME
$245,300±$21kHighest
17% below ME
Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$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
$1,789Lowest
41% below ME
$3,076
about the ME average
$3,374Highest
11% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
16.7%±10.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
51.5%±6.5
ME: 48.4%
55.7%±13.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
17.9%Highest
ME: 10.7%
12.5%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
47.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
59.7%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Highest
same as ME
1954Lowest
23 yrs older than ME
1959
18 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
13% above ME
17 minLowest
33% below ME
17 min
31% below ME
Work from home
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 — #37 of 133 in ME #32 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 79/MSAD 01 Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 Brewer Public Schools
High school in town None in town Bangor High School Brewer High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.3Lowest
14.0Highest
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.