Compare towns
Mapleton vs West Paris 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 highest household income ($92k).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
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 | West Paris | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,808 |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46±7.9Highest about the ME average |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| West Paris and East Machias 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% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest 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% |
25.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| West Paris and East Machias 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% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and East Machias 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 23% above ME |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% below ME |
$57,589±$10k 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and East Machias 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 |
$193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
$210,800±$23kHighest 29% below ME |
| East Machias and West Paris 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 |
$838±$333 26% below ME |
$907±$566Highest 20% below ME |
| East Machias and West Paris 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 |
$2,083Highest 31% below ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3 ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and East Machias 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% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Mapleton 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 17/MSAD 17 | East Machias Public Schools |
| 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 |
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.