Compare towns
Mapleton vs Cherryfield vs Athens
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 highest household income ($92k).
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k 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 | Cherryfield | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
809 |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Athens 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% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Athens 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 |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Highest 46% below ME |
$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$538±$457 53% below ME |
| Mapleton and Athens 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 |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
23.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield 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 | Cherryfield Public Schools | Athens 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 |
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.