Compare towns
Franklin vs Mapleton vs Waterville 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Franklin | Mapleton | Waterville | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,628 |
1,884 |
17,077Highest |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Franklin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Mars Hill 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% 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% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Franklin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306 22% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Waterville 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 |
$2,755Highest 9% 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% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Franklin 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 | — | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| 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.