Compare towns
Mapleton vs Hope 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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
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 | Hope | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,748Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton 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% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Hope 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% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest 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 |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hope 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 |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Hope and Brewer 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 |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Hope 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope 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 | Hope Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.0 |
| 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.