Compare towns
Starks vs Sumner vs Mapleton
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).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Sumner | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
845 |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Sumner and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Sumner 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Sumner 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 |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above 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 |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sumner 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 |
| 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 |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | 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 |
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.