Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Crystal vs Mapleton vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Crystal has the most affordable homes ($129k median).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
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 | Castle Hill | Crystal | Mapleton | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 281 |
247Lowest |
1,884 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8 29% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Crystal and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Crystal and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $145,300±$18k 51% below ME |
$129,200±$60kLowest 56% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 17% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Crystal and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449 52% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney 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 | — | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 |
| 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.