Compare towns
Ludlow vs Mapleton vs Patten 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 homeowners (90.4%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
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 | Patten | Houlton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 444Lowest |
1,884 |
1,154 |
6,056Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
45.4±2.8 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±4 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% 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% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest 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±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$61,058±$14k 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,900±$56k 55% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$137,000±$31k 54% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111Highest 13% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$785±$66 31% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% 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% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.7%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Houlton 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
63.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
10 minLowest 58% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten 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.