Compare towns
Mapleton vs Starks 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 people working from home (10.8%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Starks | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
556Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Starks 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% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton 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% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and East Machias 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% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and East Machias 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 |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$57,589±$10kLowest 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks 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 |
$210,800±$23kHighest 29% below ME |
| East Machias 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±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$907±$566 20% below ME |
| Starks and East Machias 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 |
$1,836Highest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias and Starks 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% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.