Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sidney vs Gorham 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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sidney has the most homeowners (89.4%).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
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 | Sidney | Gorham | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
4,790 |
18,300Highest |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Sidney and East Machias 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% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| East Machias and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$57,589±$10kLowest 23% below ME |
| Gorham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$210,800±$23k 29% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$907±$566 20% below ME |
| Gorham and Sidney 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
83.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
27 min 10% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | Gorham Public Schools | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.