Compare towns
Blaine vs Burnham vs Mapleton vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blaine has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Burnham has the most people working from home (17%).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Mars Hill has the most renters (29.4% 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 | Blaine | Burnham | Mapleton | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 706Lowest |
953 |
1,884Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.1% ME: +2.6% |
-5.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±17 3% above ME |
48.4±3.2Highest 8% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Burnham and Blaine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Blaine and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±7.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Blaine and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,707±$24k 8% above ME |
$59,261±$18kLowest 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Blaine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Mapleton and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $691±$303 39% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Burnham and Blaine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,804 41% below ME |
$1,897Highest 38% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100 ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.0 |
| 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.