Compare towns
Hiram vs Mapleton vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hiram has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Hiram | Mapleton | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±10.2Lowest 7% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$42kHighest 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,070±$161Highest 6% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Hiram and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,106Highest 31% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 28% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 55/MSAD 55 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| 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.