Compare towns
Mapleton vs Strong vs Jackson vs Pittston
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Pittston has the shortest commute (26 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 | Strong | Jackson | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,249 |
567Lowest |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
| Strong and Mapleton 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Pittston 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 |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
| Pittston and Jackson 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
$1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
| Pittston and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Strong 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Jackson 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 | — | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.