Compare towns
Danforth vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Washburn
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 highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Washburn 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 | Strong | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,249 |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
| Danforth and Washburn 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Washburn 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 |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$112,900±$14k 62% below ME |
| Mapleton and Strong 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±$277 46% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Strong and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $1,789 41% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Washburn and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Mapleton 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.0 |
| 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.