Compare towns
Hermon vs Mapleton vs Steep Falls vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Steep Falls has the oldest population (median age 44.1).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Hermon | Mapleton | Steep Falls | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,727 |
1,884 |
1,861Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Hermon and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Bangor 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | None in town | — | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | — | 13.3Lowest |
| 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.