Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bowdoin vs Lake Arrowhead 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 expensive homes ($293k median).
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
3,188 |
3,322Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
33±2.4Lowest 26% 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% |
26.9%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Lake Arrowhead 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%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest 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% |
26.9% 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% |
4.5%±2.3 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±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Chapman 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±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$267,300±$19k 10% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Lake Arrowhead 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 |
— | $2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,286 25% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
93.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | — |
| 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.