Compare towns
Chesterville vs Mapleton vs Palmyra vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Chesterville | Mapleton | Palmyra | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397Lowest |
1,884 |
2,209Highest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
47.1±6.2Highest 5% above ME |
| Mount Vernon and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$264,200±$23kHighest 11% below ME |
| Mount Vernon and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Chesterville and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.