Compare towns
Mapleton vs Poland vs Gorham 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 most renters (20.1% rent).
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
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 | Poland | Gorham | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
5,954 |
18,300Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
| Chapman and Poland 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% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Lowest 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
23.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$85,557±$23kLowest 14% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Gorham 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 |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
— |
| Gorham and Poland 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 |
$2,774 9% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Gorham 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% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Gorham 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 | — | #81 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 16 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.