Compare towns
Island Falls vs Mapleton vs Danforth vs Sangerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Island Falls has the oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Sangerville has the most people working from home (13.7%).
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 | Island Falls | Mapleton | Danforth | Sangerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 768 |
1,884Highest |
452Lowest |
1,136 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.7±10.6 13% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
53.9±6.9Highest 20% above ME |
| Sangerville and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±7.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Island Falls and Sangerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
12.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Sangerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,328±$8k 25% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$50,313±$14k 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $108,300±$25k 63% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$124,000±$40k 58% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $636±$124 44% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$629±$22 45% below ME |
$850±$136Highest 25% below ME |
| Sangerville and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,720 43% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
— | $1,349Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.9%±51.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.6%±27.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sangerville and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
13.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
20 minLowest 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sangerville 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.