Compare towns
Hamlin vs Mapleton vs Pittston vs Van Buren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamlin has the most people working from home (32%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Pittston has the most expensive homes ($239k median).
Van Buren has the most affordable homes ($98k 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 | Hamlin | Mapleton | Pittston | Van Buren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 111Lowest |
1,884 |
3,093Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61.8±15.9Highest 38% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
56±3.2 25% above ME |
| Hamlin and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 7.2%±17.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 40.5%±9.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
35.3%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Hamlin and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
10.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $50,938±$7k 32% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$40,170±$4kLowest 46% below ME |
| Mapleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $200,000±$58k 33% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$97,700±$24kLowest 67% below ME |
| Pittston and Hamlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
$733±$141 36% below ME |
| Pittston and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,339Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,909Highest 37% below ME |
$1,415 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
40.7%±11 ME: 48.4% |
| Hamlin and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.1% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
23%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 min 39% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 32%±47.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Hamlin 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 | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 88/MSAD 24 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Van Buren District Secondary Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 7.3 |
| 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.