Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mars Hill vs Perham
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).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
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 | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,398 |
326Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
| Perham and Mars Hill 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% |
19.6%±8.5Lowest 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%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest 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±$9k 13% below ME |
$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Highest 46% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
— |
| Mapleton and Mars 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 |
$1,843Highest 39% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Mars Hill 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Perham 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 History | 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.