Compare towns
Alna vs Mapleton vs Windham vs Whitefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Whitefield has the oldest population (median age 51.9).
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 | Alna | Mapleton | Windham | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 818Lowest |
1,884 |
19,188Highest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME |
| Whitefield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Alna and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16k 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Windham and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55k 24% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
| Windham and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176 4% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$895±$126 21% below ME |
| Windham and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Alna and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Alna 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 | — | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 14 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.