Compare towns
Jackson vs Mapleton vs Ellsworth vs Liberty
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Liberty has the most homeowners (84.1%).
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 | Jackson | Mapleton | Ellsworth | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,884 |
8,657Highest |
969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$71,146±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$242,300±$22kHighest 18% below ME |
$229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12 45% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,017±$195Highest 11% below ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$2,434 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.