Compare towns
Bethel vs Mapleton vs Rumford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Rumford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).
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 | Bethel | Mapleton | Rumford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,617 |
1,884Lowest |
5,942Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.4±3.4Highest 13% above ME |
| Rumford and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
18.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$23k 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$38,403±$6kLowest 49% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $344,900±$37kHighest 16% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$127,700±$21kLowest 57% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43Highest 24% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$803±$81 29% below ME |
| Bethel and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835Highest 7% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,988 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.1%±11.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
63.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1947Lowest 30 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #49 of 133 in ME | — | #126 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | None in town | Mountain Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.