Compare towns
Madison vs Mapleton vs Starks vs Wayne
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 renters (61.1% rent).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
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 | Starks | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,676Highest |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
1,101 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±12.3 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Starks 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% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Starks 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Madison 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% ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Mapleton 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 |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$218 25% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Starks and Wayne 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 |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.5%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±14.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.