Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Washington 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Washington | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,884 |
1,624 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.2±6.7 8% above ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
| Madison and Washington 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% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Starks 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% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Washington 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,861±$17kLowest 20% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks 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 |
$195,200±$36kHighest 34% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
| Washington and Mapleton 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±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
| Starks and Washington 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 |
$2,286Highest 25% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Washington and Starks 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% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 min 30% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.