Compare towns
Aurora vs Mapleton vs Cranberry Isles vs Mount Chase
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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Cranberry Isles has the most expensive homes ($439k median).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Mount Chase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 132Lowest |
1,884Highest |
196 |
280 |
| 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±11.9 7% above ME |
49.9±10.9Highest 11% above ME |
| Mount Chase and Cranberry Isles 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% |
22.1%±10.6 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%±26.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Chase 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
51.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±10.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.6%±3.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7Lowest 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±$37k 13% below ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% 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±$17k 36% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$439,100±$51kHighest 48% above ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$342 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,000±$413 12% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
| Mount Chase and Aurora 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
$1,548Lowest 49% below 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% |
28.6%±100 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 36% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8Highest 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 | 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 | 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.