Compare towns
Mapleton vs Topsham vs Wells
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 affordable homes ($192k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Topsham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
9,706 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Topsham 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 |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Mapleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Wells 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 |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.