Compare towns
Mapleton vs China vs Sidney
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 affordable homes ($192k median).
China has the highest household income ($96k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | China | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
4,526 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney 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% |
20.4%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| China and Sidney 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% |
31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and China 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 |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| China 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Mapleton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney and China 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 | — | #27 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.