Compare towns

Chapman 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 highest household income ($93k).
Van Buren has the most people working from home (8.3%).

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.

MeasureChapmanVan Buren
People
Population
388Lowest
1,858Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-6.1%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.7±11.4Lowest
about the ME average
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%
15.6%±4.4Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
27.6%±3.8Lowest
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%Highest
ME: 36.2%
10.1%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±2.6Highest
ME: 5.8%
4%±2.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Chapman 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
$93,125±$17kHighest
25% above ME
$40,170±$4kLowest
46% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$185,700±$22kHighest
37% below ME
$97,700±$24kLowest
67% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$733±$141
36% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,850Highest
39% below ME
$1,415Lowest
53% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
40.7%±11Highest
ME: 48.4%
Van Buren and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
23%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
64.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Highest
5 yrs newer than ME
1958Lowest
19 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minHighest
6% below ME
15 minLowest
40% below ME
Work from home
4.8%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
8.3%±5Highest
ME: 15.9%
Van Buren and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — RSU 88/MSAD 24
High school 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

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.