Compare towns
Mapleton vs Strong vs Wales vs Washburn
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).
Wales has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.5%).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
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 | Wales | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
1,924Highest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washburn and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Wales 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn and Strong 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wales 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 |
$77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Wales 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±$29k 38% below ME |
$250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,154±$64Highest about the ME average |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Wales and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,578Highest 15% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Washburn 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% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Strong 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 04 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oak Hill High School | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.