Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Mapleton vs Van Buren
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 most homeowners (94.3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Van Buren has the most affordable homes ($98k 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 | Van Buren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 281Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
56±3.2 25% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Van Buren 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.3%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Castle Hill and Van Buren 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% |
10.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Van Buren 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 |
$40,170±$4kLowest 46% 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±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$97,700±$24kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574Highest 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$733±$141 36% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Van Buren 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 |
$1,415Lowest 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.7%±11 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Van Buren 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% |
23%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
64.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill 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 88/MSAD 24 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Van Buren District Secondary Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.3 |
| 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.