Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bowdoin vs Palmyra
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% 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 | Bowdoin | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
3,188Highest |
2,209 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Palmyra 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% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Palmyra 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 |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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 |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $733±$119Highest 36% below ME |
| Palmyra and Mapleton 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 |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest 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 |
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.