Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mars Hill vs Brooks 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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Mars Hill | Brooks | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,398 |
1,208 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Brooks 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% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Chapman 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 |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill and Brooks 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks 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 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— | — |
| 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.