Compare towns
Standish vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most people working from home (13.6%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bowdoin has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Standish | Mapleton | Bowdoin | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
1,884 |
3,188 |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
| Standish and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
| Standish and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Standish and Bowdoin 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.