Compare towns
Oakland vs Mapleton vs Lisbon vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 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 | Oakland | Mapleton | Lisbon | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,309 |
1,884Lowest |
9,750Highest |
4,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
| Mapleton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$258,300±$26kHighest 13% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
| Lisbon and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74 18% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$979±$286Highest 14% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
| Lisbon and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439 20% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,324Highest 9% above ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | #23 of 133 in ME | — | #60 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | Lisbon High School | Spruce Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2 |
— | 15.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.