Compare towns
Etna vs Mapleton vs Searsmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most homeowners (94.9%).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Searsmont has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
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 | Etna | Mapleton | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.5±9.8Highest about the ME average |
| Searsmont and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$940±$311Highest 17% below ME |
| Searsmont and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,788Highest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont 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 71 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.