Compare towns
Anson vs Mapleton vs Starks vs Mexico
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 people working from home (10.8%).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
Mexico has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Anson | Mapleton | Starks | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,331 |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
2,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±6.2Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
43.4±2.8 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
13% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,474±$21kLowest 30% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$55,727±$9k 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,800±$14k 60% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $928±$62 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$1,027±$275 10% below ME |
| Starks and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,572 48% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,961Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.6%±23.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mexico and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 3%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Mexico 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 | — | — | — | #130 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Carrabec High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.