Compare towns
Danforth vs Mapleton vs Peru vs Pittston
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%).
Peru has the most homeowners (90.2%).
Pittston has the most expensive homes ($239k 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 | Danforth | Mapleton | Peru | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,884 |
1,501 |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Danforth and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Peru 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% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest 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 | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above 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 | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$141,300±$38k 52% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
| Pittston and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
$1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
| Pittston and Peru 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 |
$1,799 41% below ME |
$1,909Highest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Peru 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% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Peru 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 56 | 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.