Compare towns
Island Falls vs Mapleton vs Wade
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 highest household income ($92k).
Wade has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 768 |
1,884Highest |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 50.7±10.6 13% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade and Island Falls 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%±6.7Lowest 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%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest 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±$8k 25% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $108,300±$25kLowest 63% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
| Mapleton and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $636±$124Highest 44% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Island Falls and Mapleton 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.9%±51.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Island Falls and Mapleton 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 17 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Wade 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.