Compare towns
Mapleton vs Starks vs Brooks vs Chapman
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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Starks | Brooks | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
556 |
1,208 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Starks and Brooks 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% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Chapman 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 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Brooks 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 |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Brooks and Starks 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 |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Brooks 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% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks 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 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.