Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sidney vs Mars Hill
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 highest household income ($92k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
4,790Highest |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill 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 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.