Compare towns
Chelsea vs Mapleton vs Benton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Chelsea | Mapleton | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,823Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,770 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±3.6 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
| Benton and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Chelsea and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,471±$10k 14% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $182,300±$37k 39% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,313Highest 24% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 48% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Benton 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 | #93 of 133 in ME | — | #85 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| High school in town | None 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.