Compare towns
Mapleton vs Washburn vs Waterville
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).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Washburn | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,355Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Washburn 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% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn 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%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn and Mapleton 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
$184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
| Mapleton and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Mapleton 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 | — | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Washburn District High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.