Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mars Hill vs Monroe 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).
Mars Hill has the most renters (29.4% rent).
Monroe has the most expensive homes ($220k 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 | Mars Hill | Monroe | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,398 |
1,001 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Monroe 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% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
| Mapleton and Monroe 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±$23k 45% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
| Monroe 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 |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Monroe and Castle Hill 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 |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Monroe 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% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Monroe 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.