Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Thorndike
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%).
Mapleton has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Mapleton | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,884 |
1,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Mapleton 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$78,438±$14kLowest 5% 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±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Thorndike 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 |
$836±$317Highest 27% below ME |
| Thorndike and Mapleton 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thorndike and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.