Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mexico vs Strong 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).
Mexico has the most affordable homes ($111k median).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Mexico | Strong | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,782Highest |
1,249 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±2.8 3% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Mexico 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% |
20.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico 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 |
$55,727±$9k 25% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$145,300±$18k 51% below ME |
| Mapleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,027±$275Highest 10% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Mexico 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 |
$1,961Highest 35% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Mexico 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% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #130 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.