Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Mapleton vs Starks vs Washington
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Bridgewater | Mapleton | Starks | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 484Lowest |
1,884Highest |
556 |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
48.2±6.7 8% above ME |
| Bridgewater and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Washington 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$59,861±$17kLowest 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$195,200±$36kHighest 34% below ME |
| Washington and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116 33% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
| Starks and Washington 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,286Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Washington and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
32 min 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Washington and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.