Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mars Hill vs Newburgh vs Franklin
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Newburgh has the most homeowners (81.2%).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Newburgh | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,398Lowest |
1,475 |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Newburgh 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%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton 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% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill 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±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Newburgh 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 |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Newburgh 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 |
$950±$219Highest 17% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Newburgh and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$2,748Highest 9% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Newburgh and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— | — |
| 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.