Compare towns
Chester vs Mapleton vs Abbot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Abbot has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Chester | Mapleton | Abbot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 598 |
1,884Highest |
584Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44±10 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.6±3.5Highest 8% above ME |
| Abbot and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,500±$8k 14% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$58,542±$24kLowest 22% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,500±$59k 42% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$171,200±$36kLowest 42% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $833±$51 27% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,111±$73Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,378Lowest 55% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,393 54% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±37.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.7%±41.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 34% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.7%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±17.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Abbot and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school 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.