Compare towns
Marshfield vs Mapleton vs Cambridge vs Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most kids (28.5% under 18).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Cambridge has the most expensive homes ($215k median).
Machias has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Marshfield | Mapleton | Cambridge | Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 499Lowest |
1,884 |
532 |
2,020Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.8 9% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
38.7±1.1Lowest 14% below ME |
40.8±9.6 9% below ME |
| Mapleton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±8.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Marshfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±8 ME: 22.4% |
20.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Marshfield and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±3 ME: 5.8% |
12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$5k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,194±$39k 15% below ME |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,900±$42k 35% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$214,900±$61kHighest 28% below ME |
$141,300±$17kLowest 52% below ME |
| Cambridge and Marshfield 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 |
— | $692±$276Highest 39% below ME |
| Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,342Highest 23% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,574Lowest 48% below ME |
$1,885 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.1% ME: 10.7% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
41 minHighest 65% above ME |
16 min 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 11%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
1.7%±1.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±9.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Machias and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Machias Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.4 |
| 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.