Compare towns
Mapleton vs Waldo vs Brooks vs Chapman
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 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 | Waldo | Brooks | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
926 |
1,208 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Chapman 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% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Waldo and Brooks 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 |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
— |
| Waldo and Brooks 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| 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.