Compare towns
Mapleton vs Athens vs Sumner
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 homeowners (94.6%).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Athens | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
791Lowest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Athens 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% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest 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%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$153,100±$33k 48% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Mapleton and Athens 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 |
— |
| Mapleton and Athens 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 |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 |
| 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.