Compare towns
Ashland vs East Machias vs Mapleton
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).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
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 | Ashland | East Machias | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,080Lowest |
1,223 |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1Highest 19% above ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Ashland and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.2%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest 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±$15kLowest 37% below ME |
$57,589±$10k 23% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and East Machias 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 |
$210,800±$23kHighest 29% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $907±$566Highest 20% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511Lowest 50% below ME |
$1,836Highest 40% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | East Machias 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 |
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.