Compare towns
Mapleton vs Solon vs Starks vs Sullivan
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).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Sullivan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Solon | Starks | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
963 |
556Lowest |
1,246 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
47.1±15Highest 5% above ME |
| Sullivan and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Sullivan 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% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Sullivan 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% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan 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 23% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Solon 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 |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$222,000±$33kHighest 25% below ME |
| Sullivan and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
| Starks and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,228Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sullivan and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | — | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.5 |
| 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.