Compare towns
Chapman 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
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
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 | Chapman | Mapleton | Van Buren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 388Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
56±3.2Highest 25% above ME |
| Van Buren 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.4Lowest 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%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.3%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Van Buren and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
10.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$40,170±$4kLowest 46% below ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$97,700±$24kLowest 67% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$733±$141Highest 36% below ME |
| Van Buren and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,850Highest 39% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,415Lowest 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
40.7%±11Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
23%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%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 | 23 min 6% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Van Buren 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.