Compare towns
Mapleton vs Augusta vs Bowdoin vs Chapman
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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Augusta | Bowdoin | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
19,077Highest |
3,188 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
| Chapman and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Augusta 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% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$919±$79Highest 19% below ME |
— | — |
| Augusta and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Bowdoin 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 | — | #119 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9 |
— | — |
| 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.