Compare towns
Bath vs Chapman vs Franklin vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Franklin has the oldest population (median age 46).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Bath | Chapman | Franklin | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
388Lowest |
1,628 |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Franklin and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Bath and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
— | $888±$306 22% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Bath and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Franklin 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.