Compare towns
Buxton vs Mapleton vs Poland vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the highest household income ($100k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Berwick has the most homeowners (87.4%).
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 | Buxton | Mapleton | Poland | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
1,884Lowest |
5,954 |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Buxton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$85,557±$23kLowest 14% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Buxton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
| Berwick and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
| Buxton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 13% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Berwick 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | — | #81 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 16 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.