Compare towns
Knox vs Mapleton vs Sidney vs Princeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Princeton has the most affordable homes ($121k median).
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 | Knox | Mapleton | Sidney | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,884 |
4,790Highest |
866 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
39.1±9.4Lowest 13% below ME |
| Sidney and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
28.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Princeton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Princeton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
24.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$56,406±$26kLowest 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26k 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$120,800±$82kLowest 59% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$675±$351 41% below ME |
| Knox and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$1,573Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.7%±23.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney and Knox 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 | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | Princeton Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None 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.