Compare towns
Baldwin vs Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Swanville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Swanville has the shortest commute (26 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 | Baldwin | Bowdoin | Mapleton | Swanville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,170Lowest |
3,188Highest |
1,884 |
1,195 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.6 13% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.2±6.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Swanville and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$51,935±$7kLowest 31% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$237,300±$36k 20% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,191±$113Highest 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,540 16% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,368 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±42.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
47.5%±33.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Swanville and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
23%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
26 minLowest 4% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.