Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sharon vs Reading vs Pittston
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).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Sharon | Reading | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,577 |
699Lowest |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.4±5.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Sharon 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% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Sharon 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittston 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 14% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$86,614±$18k 7% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Pittston 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. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$238,700±$66k 28% below U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,080±$593 24% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Reading 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. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$1,909 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Pittston 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% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Sharon 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 | — | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Sharon School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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 |
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.