Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Thorndike vs Richmond
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Richmond has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.3%).
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 | Bowdoin | Mapleton | Thorndike | Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,884 |
1,403Lowest |
3,566Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.3%Highest 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 |
36.9±3.8 18% 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% |
23%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Richmond 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% |
15.6%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Richmond 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% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.8%Highest 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% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Richmond 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±$14k 5% above ME |
$65,854±$10kLowest 12% 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$242,700±$27k 18% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Richmond 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±$317 27% below ME |
$1,077±$166Highest 5% below ME |
| Richmond and Thorndike 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 |
$3,143 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
47%±23.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Richmond and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
69.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
29 min 19% 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% |
16.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Richmond 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 | Richmond Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt View High School | Richmond High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| 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.