Compare towns
Chelsea vs Mapleton vs Hallowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has the most homeowners (88.6%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Hallowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
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 | Hallowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,823Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,592 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±3.6 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
| Hallowell 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% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest 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%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hallowell and Chelsea 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% ME: 36.2% |
52.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hallowell and Mapleton 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 |
$68,398±$10kLowest 8% 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±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$295,300±$45kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$890±$175 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,313 24% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,867Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hallowell and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
58.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 48% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
| Work from home | 6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hallowell 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 | #93 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 02 |
| 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.