Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs West Bath
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).
West Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.8%).
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 | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Starks 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% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and West Bath 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Mapleton 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 |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,112±$327Highest about the ME average |
| West Bath and Starks 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 |
$3,516Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and West Bath 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Bath 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 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.