Compare towns
Pownal vs Mapleton vs Durham vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Pownal | Mapleton | Durham | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,696Lowest |
1,884 |
4,262 |
5,766Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4Highest 5% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Pownal and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$636 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,150±$249Highest about the ME average |
| New Gloucester and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,781 25% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal and Durham 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 | — | — | #14 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 05 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| 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.