Compare towns
Mapleton vs Fairfield vs Castle Hill 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 most expensive homes ($192k median).
Fairfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Castle Hill has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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 | Fairfield | Castle Hill | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
6,519Highest |
281Lowest |
388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.1±4 4% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Castle Hill 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% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest 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 |
$64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% 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±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$164,300±$28k 45% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Mapleton and Chapman 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 |
$1,001±$101Highest 12% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
— |
| Fairfield and Castle Hill 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 |
$2,217Highest 27% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Fairfield 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% |
10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Fairfield 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 | — | #47 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Lawrence High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— | — |
| 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.