Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sidney vs Townsend 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 most renters (20.1% rent).
Sidney has the most people working from home (14.3%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Sidney | Townsend | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
4,790 |
9,100Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Chapman and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%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%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chapman and Townsend 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. |
$83,488±$10kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$93,125±$17k 15% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
— |
| Townsend and Sidney 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. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$1,850 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.


