Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brewer vs Surry vs Washburn
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).
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
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 | Mapleton | Brewer | Surry | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
9,652Highest |
1,836 |
1,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
| Surry and Washburn 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% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn 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% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 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 | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
| Surry and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Brewer and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Surry 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Brewer Public Schools | Surry Public Schools | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.