Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Patten vs Bridgewater
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 homeowners (90%).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Patten | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
1,884Highest |
1,154 |
484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
48.8±8 9% above ME |
| Patten and Bridgewater 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$768±$116 33% below ME |
| Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348 56% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,417 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school 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.