Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Chapman vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steep Falls has the most renters (19.8% rent).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Porter has the most people working from home (15.5%).
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 | Steep Falls | Chapman | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,861Highest |
388Lowest |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Chapman and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Chapman and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,400±$31kHighest 18% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$226,100±$20k 24% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,516±$1k 33% above ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,273Highest 8% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.