Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brooks vs Palmyra 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Chapman has the most homeowners (94.5%).
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 | Palmyra | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,208 |
2,209Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Chapman 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% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra 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% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 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±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$60,543±$17k 19% below 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 |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% 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±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra 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% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest 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 | — | — |
| 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.