Compare towns
Madison vs Mapleton vs Baldwin vs Houlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Baldwin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
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 | Madison | Mapleton | Baldwin | Houlton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,676 |
1,884 |
1,170Lowest |
6,056Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±12.3 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
45.4±2.8 about the ME average |
| Baldwin and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
24.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,698±$20k 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$61,058±$14kLowest 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
$137,000±$31kLowest 54% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$218Highest 25% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $785±$66 31% below ME |
| Madison and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,740 43% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,540Highest 16% below ME |
$1,707Lowest 44% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.5%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.7%±12.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
63.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
10 minLowest 58% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
6%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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.