Compare towns
Cushing vs Mapleton vs Newburgh vs Starks
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%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Newburgh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
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 | Mapleton | Newburgh | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460 |
1,884Highest |
1,475 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Cushing and Starks 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newburgh 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Newburgh and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Cushing and Starks 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| 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.
