Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Madison vs Mapleton vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
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 | Madison | Mapleton | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
4,782Highest |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Starks 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% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Madison 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 |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below 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±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $906±$247 20% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.