Compare towns
Ashland vs Mapleton vs Mount Chase vs Wade
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Wade has the oldest housing (typical home built 1951).
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 | Mapleton | Mount Chase | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,080 |
1,884Highest |
280 |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±10.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Mount Chase 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Ashland 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$41,818±$25k 44% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49k 58% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
| Mapleton and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
— |
| Mount Chase 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 |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,548 49% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Chase and Ashland 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Chase and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.