Compare towns
Danforth vs Mapleton vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 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 | Danforth | Mapleton | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22Highest 45% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Danforth and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,843Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.