Compare towns
Wade vs Mapleton vs Searsmont vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Lowell has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Wade | Mapleton | Searsmont | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 244Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,646 |
378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5 20% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
55.5±8.6Highest 24% above ME |
| Lowell and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
30%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
$50,833±$31k 32% below ME |
| Mapleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
$209,700±$30k 29% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$940±$311Highest 17% below ME |
— |
| Searsmont and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,788Highest 8% below ME |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lowell and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont 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 | RSU 71 | — |
| 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.