Compare towns
Mapleton vs Phillips vs Steuben vs East Machias
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).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Steuben has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 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 | Phillips | Steuben | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,094Lowest |
1,388 |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton 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% |
21.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Phillips and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Steuben 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
$57,589±$10k 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Steuben 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$210,800±$23kHighest 29% below ME |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$678±$319 40% below ME |
$907±$566Highest 20% below ME |
| East Machias and Steuben 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 |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias and Phillips 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% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Steuben 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 24 | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.