Compare towns
Chesterville vs Mapleton vs Starks vs New Sharon
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).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
New Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Starks | New Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,884Highest |
556Lowest |
1,550 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
43.9±8.9 about the ME average |
| Starks and New Sharon 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% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Mapleton 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| New Sharon and Starks 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% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$63,889±$21k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$171,200±$21k 42% below ME |
| Chesterville and Mapleton 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 |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$961±$55 16% below ME |
| Chesterville and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194Highest 28% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,889 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
61%±38Highest ME: 48.4% |
| New Sharon and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 09 |
| 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.