Compare towns
Mapleton vs Oakland vs Smithfield vs Chapman
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
Oakland has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Oakland | Smithfield | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
6,309Highest |
856 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Chapman 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% |
23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
24.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman 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 23% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Chapman 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 |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland 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 |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Smithfield and Oakland 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 |
$2,439 20% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #23 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Messalonskee High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2 |
— | — |
| 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.