Compare towns
Mapleton vs Reading vs Whitingham vs East Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Whitingham has the most homeowners (85.2%).
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 | Reading | Whitingham | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
699Lowest |
1,368 |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1 19% above U.S. |
42.8±2.9 10% above U.S. |
| Reading and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitingham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and East Machias 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 14% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
$57,589±$10kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$262,300±$30k 21% below U.S. |
$210,800±$23k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Highest 22% below U.S. |
$673±$150 52% below U.S. |
$907±$566 36% below U.S. |
| Reading and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$5,055 62% above U.S. |
$1,836 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±40.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.