Compare towns
Buxton vs Mapleton vs South Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
South Windham has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | South Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
1,884 |
1,212Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
| Buxton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Buxton 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% |
7.3%±5.9Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.9%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| South Windham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
| South Windham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
| Buxton and South Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
| South Windham and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,941 3% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Buxton and Mapleton 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% |
9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | 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 |
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.