Compare towns
Aurora vs Chapman vs Mapleton vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Aurora has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Amherst has the most expensive homes ($210k median).
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 | Aurora | Chapman | Mapleton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 132Lowest |
388 |
1,884Highest |
424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.2±17 5% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.9±9.9Highest 14% above ME |
| Amherst and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.5%±16.9 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±8.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±26.9 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
31.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±10.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.8%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Aurora and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$72,656±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,400±$17k 36% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$210,200±$38kHighest 29% below ME |
| Amherst and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$342Highest about the ME average |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Aurora and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,025Highest 33% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,527Lowest 50% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
50%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Amherst and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
96.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 36% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Amherst and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Airline CSD | — | 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.