Compare towns
Harrison vs Mapleton vs Thomaston vs Whitefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harrison has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Whitefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Harrison | Mapleton | Thomaston | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,513 |
1,884Lowest |
2,769Highest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.6 25% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
| Thomaston and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,938±$6k 24% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$73,875±$10k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,300±$70k 16% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
$242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
| Thomaston and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $885±$193 22% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$895±$126 21% below ME |
| Thomaston and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,731 10% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Whitefield 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 | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 13 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.