Compare towns

Chapman vs Waltham vs Ludlow

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).
Waltham has the most people working from home (13.4%).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k 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.

MeasureChapmanWalthamLudlow
People
Population
388
346Lowest
444Highest
Median age
45.7±11.4Lowest
about the ME average
56.4±9.3Highest
26% above ME
46.1±5.8
about the ME average
Waltham and Ludlow 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%±8.1Lowest
ME: 18.1%
22.7%±5.9
ME: 18.1%
Chapman and Ludlow 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%
32.9%±4.7Highest
ME: 22.4%
12.4%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Waltham 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%
22.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
16.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±2.6Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.7%±3.5Lowest
ME: 5.8%
2.7%±3.1
ME: 5.8%
Chapman and Ludlow 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
$71,071±$14k
5% below ME
$62,500±$21kLowest
16% below ME
Chapman and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$185,700±$22kHighest
37% below ME
$181,300±$22k
39% below ME
$133,900±$56kLowest
55% below ME
Chapman and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$850±$567Lowest
25% below ME
$988±$111Highest
13% below ME
Ludlow and Waltham 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
$1,452Lowest
52% below ME
$1,655
45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
15%±96.7
ME: 48.4%
45.5%±94.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
Ludlow and Waltham 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%
19.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
15.3%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
85.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
90.4%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Lowest
5 yrs newer than ME
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
6% below ME
41 minHighest
67% above ME
21 minLowest
15% below ME
Work from home
4.8%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
13.4%±6.1Highest
ME: 15.9%
9.8%±8
ME: 15.9%
Waltham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.