Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brooks vs Chapman vs Washburn
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).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
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 | Brooks | Chapman | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,208 |
388Lowest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
— | -9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washburn and Brooks 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% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 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% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Washburn 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% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Chapman 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 |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% below 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 |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
— | $482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Washburn and Brooks 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% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 min 6% below ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.



