Compare towns
Durham vs Mapleton vs Berwick vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 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 | Durham | Mapleton | Berwick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,884Lowest |
8,175 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Durham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Berwick and Topsham 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 |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Berwick 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | #101 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.