Compare towns
Cutler vs Mapleton vs Pittston vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cutler has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Cutler | Mapleton | Pittston | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 492Lowest |
1,884 |
3,093Highest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±13.2 7% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Mercer and Cutler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Cutler and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Cutler and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,946±$37k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $155,900±$39kLowest 47% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Pittston and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,462Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$1,970Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 44% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Mapleton 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 | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Cutler Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| 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.