Compare towns
Mapleton vs Gorham vs Mount Desert 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 renters (20.1% rent).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Gorham | Mount Desert | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
18,300Highest |
1,671 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert 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% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Gorham and Chapman 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 |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Gorham 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 |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
— |
| Gorham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Mount Desert 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Gorham Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.