Compare towns
Ludlow vs Mapleton vs Limerick vs Houlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Limerick has the most people working from home (15.2%).
Houlton has the shortest commute (10 min average).
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 | Ludlow | Mapleton | Limerick | Houlton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 444Lowest |
1,884 |
3,400 |
6,056Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
45.4±2.8 about the ME average |
| Ludlow and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Houlton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
24.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$61,058±$14kLowest 18% below ME |
| Limerick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$269,400±$29kHighest 9% below ME |
$137,000±$31k 54% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$785±$66 31% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,520Highest 17% below ME |
$1,707 44% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
54.7%±12.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Houlton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
63.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
10 minLowest 58% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Limerick and Mapleton 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 | — | — | — | #50 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 29/MSAD 29 · Houlton-Region 2 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Houlton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 16.8 |
| 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.