Compare towns
Litchfield vs Mapleton vs Wales vs Bowdoin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Litchfield has the most people working from home (24.2%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Wales has the most kids (30.2% under 18).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Litchfield | Mapleton | Wales | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,680Highest |
1,884Lowest |
1,924 |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±10.2Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Litchfield and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Wales and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Litchfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,904±$15k 14% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,004±$5kLowest 3% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,900±$26k 18% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$250,400±$28k 16% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,173±$341Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,154±$64 about the ME average |
— |
| Litchfield and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,545 16% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,578 15% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±60.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.2%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Litchfield and Wales 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 | #131 of 133 in ME | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 04 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 04 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oak Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.