Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Cushing 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
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Bridgewater | Cushing | Mapleton | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 484Lowest |
1,460 |
1,884Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116 33% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Cushing and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417 53% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.