Compare towns
Liberty vs Mapleton vs Stoneham vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Liberty has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
Palermo has the most expensive homes ($260k 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 | Liberty | Mapleton | Stoneham | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 969 |
1,884Highest |
271Lowest |
1,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
60.6±7.1Highest 35% above ME |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 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+ | 21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.8% ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
14.8%±13.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Stoneham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,750±$27kLowest 15% below ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
| Mapleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$226,200±$32k 24% below ME |
$259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,125±$383 about the ME average |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
| Palermo and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434 20% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,426Lowest 53% below ME |
$2,506Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Stoneham and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Stoneham and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 12 |
| 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.