Compare towns
Mapleton vs Danforth vs Gardiner 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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Danforth | Gardiner | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
452 |
6,088Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Danforth 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% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest 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%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Danforth 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% 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 |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$221,600±$19kHighest 25% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Gardiner 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 |
$629±$22 45% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
— | $2,742Highest 10% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Mapleton 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 | — | — | #36 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Gardiner Area High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.