Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Mapleton vs Crystal vs Lowell
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Crystal has the most affordable homes ($129k median).
Lowell has the most expensive homes ($210k 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 | Mapleton | Crystal | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 281 |
1,884Highest |
247Lowest |
378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8 29% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
55.5±8.6 24% above 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%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Crystal 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.7 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$50,833±$31k 32% below ME |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$129,200±$60kLowest 56% below ME |
$209,700±$30kHighest 29% below ME |
| Lowell and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
— |
| Crystal and Castle Hill 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 |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,478 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lowell and Castle Hill 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school 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.