Compare towns
Lagrange vs Mapleton vs Madison vs Howland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Lagrange | Mapleton | Madison | Howland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 709Lowest |
1,884 |
4,782Highest |
1,367 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±13.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
47.6±10.2 6% above ME |
| Madison and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.8%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
12% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$49,297±$21kLowest 34% below ME |
| Mapleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$150,100±$52k 49% below ME |
| Mapleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $831±$151 27% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
$916±$246Highest 20% below ME |
| Howland and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $869Lowest 71% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,546 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
29%±18.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
25.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 31/MSAD 31 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | Penobscot Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.