Compare towns
Fairfield vs Mapleton vs Dover-Foxcroft vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Dover-Foxcroft has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Fairfield has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
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 | Fairfield | Mapleton | Dover-Foxcroft | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,356 |
1,884Lowest |
4,506 |
6,519Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34.2±7.7Lowest 24% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
38±4.1 15% below ME |
43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
| Fairfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Dover-Foxcroft and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.2% ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,344±$6k 15% below ME |
$64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
| Mapleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$162,600±$12k 45% below ME |
$164,300±$28k 45% below ME |
| Mapleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,013±$142Highest 11% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$880±$97 23% below ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
| Fairfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,119 30% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,916 37% below ME |
$2,217Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Fairfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.1% ME: 10.7% |
10.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67% ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 25% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Dover-Foxcroft and Fairfield 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 | #47 of 133 in ME | — | #89 of 133 in ME | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 68/MSAD 68 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.3 |
| 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.