Compare towns
Mapleton vs Wayne vs Sullivan vs East Machias
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 people working from home (26.2%).
Sullivan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Sullivan | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,246 |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Wayne and Sullivan 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton 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% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Sullivan 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Sullivan 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 |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
$57,589±$10kLowest 23% 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 |
$222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
$210,800±$23k 29% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
$907±$566 20% below ME |
| Wayne and East Machias 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 |
$2,228 27% below ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias and Sullivan 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% ME: 10.7% |
15.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
83.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Sullivan 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 | RSU 24 | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.