Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bowdoin vs Jefferson 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 most renters (20.1% rent).
Bowdoin has the most people working from home (11.7%).
Jefferson has the youngest population (median age 38.1).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 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 | Mapleton | Bowdoin | Jefferson | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
3,188Highest |
2,647 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
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% |
19.1%±6.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Chapman 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
27.6% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 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 |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$85,078±$17kLowest 14% 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 |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Jefferson and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,120±$130Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,587 15% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Jefferson and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | #45 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Jefferson Public Schools | — |
| 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 | 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.