Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mars Hill vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,398Lowest |
14,449Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
43.4±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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 14% above U.S. |
$65,273±$9kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$163,600±$23kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 57% below U.S. |
$488±$96Lowest 65% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$1,843 41% below U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.6%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
10.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.


