Compare towns
Mapleton vs Ludlow vs Starks 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 highest household income ($92k).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
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 | Starks | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
444 |
556 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Starks 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% |
16.4%±4.4 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% 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% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Ludlow 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 |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks 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 |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$145,300±$18k 51% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks 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 |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow 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 |
$1,655 45% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,449 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 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% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 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 |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill 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 | 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.