Compare towns
Mapleton vs Ludlow vs Readfield vs Castle Hill
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).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Castle Hill has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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 | Ludlow | Readfield | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
444 |
2,651Highest |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | 0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Readfield 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% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow 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% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Readfield 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 |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
| Mapleton and Readfield 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 |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$145,300±$18k 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Readfield and Ludlow 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 |
$1,655 45% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Ludlow 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% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.