Compare towns
Ashland vs Mapleton vs Wade vs Guilford
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Wade has the oldest housing (typical home built 1951).
Guilford has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Wade | Guilford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,080 |
1,884Highest |
244Lowest |
1,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -16.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
53.5±7.4 19% above ME |
| Wade and Guilford 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% |
16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Wade 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
30.5%±4.8 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
10.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±4.2 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 |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$53,173±$13k 29% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
$170,100±$31k 43% 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 | — | $610±$277Highest 46% below ME |
— | $507±$336Lowest 55% 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 |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
$1,619 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
67%±24Highest 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
19 minLowest 22% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±8.4Highest 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 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 80/MSAD 04 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Piscataquis Community Secondary School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.2 |
| 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.