Compare towns
Mapleton vs Newcastle vs Southwest Harbor
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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Newcastle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Southwest Harbor has the most renters (44.3% rent).
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 | Newcastle | Southwest Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,913Highest |
1,553Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
48.9±9.3 9% above ME |
| Newcastle and Southwest Harbor 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% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.5%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newcastle 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% |
24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Southwest Harbor and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Newcastle 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 |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
$59,205±$21kLowest 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
$428,500±$35kHighest 44% above ME |
| Southwest Harbor and Newcastle 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 |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$959±$50 16% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,479 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.4%±18.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
55.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 min 30% below ME |
16 minLowest 36% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Southwest Harbor Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.