Compare towns
Ashland vs Guilford 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).
Guilford has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Guilford | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,080Lowest |
1,096 |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7% ME: +2.6% |
-16.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
53.5±7.4Highest 19% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Guilford and Ashland 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% |
15.6%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Guilford 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% |
30.5%±4.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ashland and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8% ME: 36.2% |
10.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±4.2Lowest 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 |
$53,173±$13k 29% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
$170,100±$31k 43% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
| Mapleton and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $507±$336Lowest 55% below ME |
$610±$277Highest 46% below ME |
| Mapleton and Guilford 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 |
$1,619 47% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
67%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Guilford 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% |
14.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
19 minLowest 22% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±8.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Guilford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 80/MSAD 04 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | Piscataquis Community Secondary School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.