Compare towns
Aurora vs Mapleton vs Cranberry Isles
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 kids (26.5% under 18).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Cranberry Isles has the most expensive homes ($439k 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 | Mapleton | Cranberry Isles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 132Lowest |
1,884Highest |
196 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.2±17 5% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48±11.9Highest 7% above ME |
| Cranberry Isles and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.5%±16.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±9.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Aurora and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±26.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Aurora and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±10.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.6%±3.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cranberry Isles and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$65,000±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,400±$17kLowest 36% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$439,100±$51kHighest 48% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$342Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,000±$413 12% below ME |
| Aurora and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,025 33% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
71.4%±79Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cranberry Isles 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 36% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Aurora 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 | Cranberry Isles Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.