Compare towns
Danforth vs Mapleton vs West Gardiner vs Mattawamkeag
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 ($90k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
West Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Mattawamkeag has the most renters (23.9% 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 | Danforth | Mapleton | West Gardiner | Mattawamkeag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666Lowest |
1,884 |
3,696Highest |
698 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
51.4±3.8 15% above ME |
| Danforth and Mattawamkeag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±9.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
$45,000±$16kLowest 40% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
$104,200±$41k 65% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$29 45% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
$488±$190Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,270 58% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,282Highest 25% below ME |
$1,111Lowest 63% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.7%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Mattawamkeag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
33.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.8%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.2%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Gardiner 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 | — | — | #90 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| High school 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.