Compare towns
Howland vs Lagrange vs Mapleton vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Howland has the oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Howland | Lagrange | Mapleton | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,367 |
709Lowest |
1,884Highest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-10.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±10.2 6% above ME |
45.9±13.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $49,297±$21kLowest 34% below ME |
$58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,100±$52k 49% below ME |
$126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Mapleton and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$246Highest 20% below ME |
$831±$151 27% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Howland and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,546 49% below ME |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±18.2 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
36 min 45% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 31/MSAD 31 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Penobscot Valley High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.