Compare towns
Caswell vs Mapleton vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Caswell has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 44).
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 | Caswell | Mapleton | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 243Lowest |
1,884Highest |
598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.7±22.1Lowest 25% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44±10Highest about the ME average |
| Chester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Caswell and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 8.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $43,173±$15kLowest 42% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$64,500±$8k 14% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,000±$30kLowest 71% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$172,500±$59k 42% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$272Highest 27% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$833±$51 27% below ME |
| Caswell and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,118Lowest 63% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,378 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.2%±46.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±37.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 31.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 32% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Caswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Caswell Public Schools | 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.