Compare towns
Mapleton vs Owls Head vs Strong 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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Owls Head has the most expensive homes ($413k median).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Owls Head | Strong | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,482 |
1,249 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Owls Head and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman 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% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Owls Head 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% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,191±$386Highest 5% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
— |
| Owls Head and Strong 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 |
$2,981Highest about the ME average |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Owls Head and Strong 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% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 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 |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Owls Head 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 13 | 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.