Compare towns
Durham vs Mapleton vs Starks vs West Gardiner
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 people working from home (20.9%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
West Gardiner 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 | Starks | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262Highest |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
3,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
| Starks and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Durham 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% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Starks 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest 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 | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
| Durham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$305,100±$42k about the ME average |
| Durham and West Gardiner 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 |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,282 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Starks 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% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and West Gardiner 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 | — | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | 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.