Compare towns
Columbia vs Mapleton vs Cherryfield vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Columbia has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
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 | Columbia | Mapleton | Cherryfield | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 529Lowest |
1,884Highest |
809 |
598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±6.4 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
44±10 about the ME average |
| Cherryfield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Columbia and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,667±$15k 24% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$64,500±$8k 14% 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 | $158,700±$19kLowest 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
$172,500±$59k 42% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $894±$162Highest 22% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$833±$51 27% below ME |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,226Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,378 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±37.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Columbia and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield 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 | Cherryfield Public Schools | — |
| 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.