Compare towns
Mapleton vs Crystal vs Ashland
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 people working from home (10.8%).
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
Ashland has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Crystal | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
247Lowest |
1,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
| Crystal and Ashland 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% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Crystal 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% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Ashland 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 |
$48,125±$13k 36% below ME |
$46,838±$15kLowest 37% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
| Mapleton and Crystal 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 |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
— |
| Crystal and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,511 50% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25.7%±27.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ashland and Mapleton 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% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
23.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.7%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school 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.