Compare towns
Aurora vs Mapleton vs Wade
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k 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 | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 132Lowest |
1,884Highest |
244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.2±17 5% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade 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% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±10.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Aurora and Mapleton 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 |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,400±$17k 36% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
| Mapleton and Aurora 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Aurora and Mapleton 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 36% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Wade 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 |
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.