Compare towns
Benton vs Mapleton vs Clinton vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Clinton has the most people working from home (14.8%).
Fairfield has the most renters (38.7% rent).
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 | Benton | Mapleton | Clinton | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,770 |
1,884Lowest |
3,385Highest |
2,356 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
50.7±4.3Highest 13% above ME |
34.2±7.7Lowest 24% below ME |
| Clinton and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.1%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Clinton and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.9% ME: 36.2% |
13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,458±$39k 4% below ME |
$52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME |
| Mapleton and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$187,000±$28k 37% below ME |
$139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
| Mapleton and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,177±$118Highest 3% above ME |
$1,013±$142 11% below ME |
| Clinton and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,910 37% below ME |
$2,119Highest 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
79.3%±26.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Clinton and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 21% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
18 minLowest 25% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.8%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Clinton 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | — | #116 of 133 in ME | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | — |
| 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.