Compare towns
Cushing vs Dedham vs Mapleton vs South Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
South Thomaston has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Cushing | Dedham | Mapleton | South Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460 |
1,656 |
1,884Highest |
1,381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.3±11.3Highest 21% above ME |
| South Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±8.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
9%±9.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| South Thomaston and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,838±$7k 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$341,300±$37k 15% above ME |
| Cushing and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$925±$633 19% below ME |
| Cushing and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,442 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
63.6%±43.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
16 minLowest 36% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 13 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| 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 | 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.