Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin
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).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Starks | Mapleton | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,884 |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Starks and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 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%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Starks and Mapleton 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Mapleton 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.