Compare towns
Cushing vs Mapleton vs Waldo vs Rome
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 expensive homes ($410k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
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 | Waldo | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460 |
1,884Highest |
926Lowest |
1,215 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
| Cushing and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Rome 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rome 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome 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±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
$77,639±$25k 4% above 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,150±$56 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Waldo 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,829 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Rome 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Waldo 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 | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| 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.