Compare towns
Mapleton vs Wayne vs Mercer
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).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Wayne | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,101 |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Mercer 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
| Wayne 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Wayne and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Mercer 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 38 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.