Compare towns
Starks vs Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Starks | Bowdoin | Mapleton | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
3,188Highest |
1,884 |
2,676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.9±12.3 about the ME average |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$850±$218 25% below ME |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,740 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school 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.