Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Freedom vs Mapleton vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most homeowners (90.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Bowdoin | Freedom | Mapleton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
670Lowest |
1,884 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$64,861±$12kLowest 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above 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 | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Bowdoin 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 |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
11.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham and Bowdoin 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 | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.