Compare towns
Mapleton vs Athens vs Liberty
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
Liberty has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Mapleton | Athens | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
791Lowest |
969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.7±7.2Highest 6% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Athens and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Athens and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
$229,600±$31kHighest 23% below ME |
| Liberty and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Highest 46% below ME |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
$559±$193 51% below ME |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$2,434Highest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Athens Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.