Compare towns
Mapleton vs Walden vs Wells vs Pittston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Walden | Wells | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,037Lowest |
1,148 |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.4±5.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Walden 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$86,614±$18k 7% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$238,700±$66k 28% below U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,080±$593 24% below U.S. |
| Wells and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
$3,308 6% above U.S. |
$1,909 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Wells 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.