Compare towns
Hartford vs Mapleton vs Buckfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.5%).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Buckfield has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Hartford | Mapleton | Buckfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
1,884 |
2,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.5Highest 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
| Hartford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±0.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,115±$40k 17% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,917±$41kLowest 4% above ME |
| Mapleton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,200±$44kLowest 36% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME |
| Buckfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Highest 46% below ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
| Mapleton and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,024Highest about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,860 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hartford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 68% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Buckfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.