Compare towns
Mapleton vs Ludlow vs Thorndike 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).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Chapman has the most homeowners (94.5%).
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 | Thorndike | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
444 |
1,403 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.1±5.8Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Ludlow and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Chapman 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above 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 |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$205,600±$88kHighest 31% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Thorndike 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 |
$988±$111Highest 13% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
— |
| Ludlow and Thorndike 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ludlow and Thorndike 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% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt View High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.