Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Mapleton vs Sidney vs Baldwin
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Mapleton | Sidney | Baldwin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,861 |
1,884 |
4,790Highest |
1,170Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
| Baldwin 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$68,045±$8kLowest 9% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
— |
| Steep Falls and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,273Highest 8% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,540 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | — | None 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.