Compare towns
Franklin vs Mapleton vs Trenton vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most people working from home (12.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Trenton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 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 | Franklin | Mapleton | Trenton | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,628 |
1,884Highest |
1,599 |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.5±7.7 about the ME average |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Franklin and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Trenton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,455±$13kLowest 19% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$357,400±$36kHighest 20% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306 22% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,102±$241Highest 3% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Trenton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,310Highest 24% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±20.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Trenton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Trenton Public Schools | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.