Compare towns
Cushing vs Mapleton vs Warren vs Waterville
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 most kids (22.2% under 18).
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Warren | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
1,884 |
4,932 |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Cushing and Warren 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% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Cushing and Mapleton 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% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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 |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Cushing and Warren 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Warren and Waterville 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.3% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #120 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.