Compare towns
East Machias vs Mapleton vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | East Machias | Mapleton | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,223 |
1,884Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,589±$10kLowest 23% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,800±$23kHighest 29% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$566 20% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,836Highest 40% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.1%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | East Machias Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.