Compare towns
Palermo vs Mapleton vs Somerville vs Liberty
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Palermo | Mapleton | Somerville | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,473 |
1,884Highest |
837Lowest |
969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
| Palermo and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Liberty and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$71,146±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506Highest 17% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,434 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.