Compare towns
Ashland vs Cherryfield vs Mapleton vs Castle Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($125k median).
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Castle Hill has the most homeowners (94.3%).
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 | Ashland | Cherryfield | Mapleton | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,080 |
809 |
1,884Highest |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
57.8±15.8 29% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Castle Hill and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $46,838±$15k 37% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$145,300±$18k 51% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$950±$574Highest 17% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511 50% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.6% ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Cherryfield Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.