Compare towns
Fairfield vs Mapleton vs Washburn
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 people working from home (12.1%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k 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 | Fairfield | Mapleton | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
1,884 |
1,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washburn and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest 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 | $64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% 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 | $164,300±$28k 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% 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 | $1,001±$101Highest 12% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,217Highest 27% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Fairfield and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Fairfield and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.