Compare towns
Fryeburg vs Mapleton vs Waldoboro vs Norridgewock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fryeburg has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Waldoboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
Norridgewock has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Fryeburg | Mapleton | Waldoboro | Norridgewock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,489 |
1,884Lowest |
5,253Highest |
3,288 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.3±3.4Highest 19% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.1±4.6 12% above ME |
50.3±11 12% above ME |
| Fryeburg and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
25%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Fryeburg and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,076±$15kLowest 25% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$69,107±$8k 8% below ME |
$61,579±$19k 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,600±$30k 9% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$274,900±$39kHighest 7% below ME |
$151,900±$52kLowest 49% below ME |
| Waldoboro and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$85 22% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,063±$588Highest 7% below ME |
| Norridgewock and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,928Highest 4% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,861 6% below ME |
$1,462Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±46.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Norridgewock and Fryeburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min 3% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock and Fryeburg 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 | #103 of 133 in ME | — | #55 of 133 in ME | #91 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 54/MSAD 54 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.