Compare towns
Island Falls 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
Island Falls has the most affordable homes ($108k median).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 768 |
1,884Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.7±10.6Highest 13% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Island Falls and Starks 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% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,328±$8kLowest 25% 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 | $108,300±$25kLowest 63% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $636±$124 44% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,720 43% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.9%±51.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks 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% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Island Falls 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 |
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.