Compare towns
Machias vs Madison vs Mapleton vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Machias has the most affordable homes ($141k median).
Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Marshfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Machias | Madison | Mapleton | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,020 |
2,676Highest |
1,884 |
499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.8±9.6Lowest 9% below ME |
44.9±12.3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.9±7.8 9% below ME |
| Madison and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
28.5%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Marshfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
$61,698±$20k 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$5k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,300±$17kLowest 52% below ME |
$163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$191,900±$42kHighest 35% below ME |
| Marshfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $692±$276 39% below ME |
$850±$218Highest 25% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Madison and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,885 38% below ME |
$1,740Lowest 43% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,342Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 min 33% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Machias Public Schools | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | Machias Memorial High School | — | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — | — |
| 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.