Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sharon vs Strafford vs Chapman
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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Strafford has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Sharon | Strafford | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,577 |
1,372 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4 17% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Chapman 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% |
21%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman and Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chapman 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8%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% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chapman and Strafford 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 14% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$93,125±$17k 15% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 42% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Sharon and Strafford 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. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$1,850 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Sharon School District | Strafford School District | — |
| 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 |
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.