Compare towns
Chapman vs Gray vs Starks vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Chapman | Gray | Starks | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 388Lowest |
8,429Highest |
556 |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Gray and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Gray and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,850 39% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 6% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.