Compare towns
Waldo vs Mapleton vs Gray vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Waldo | Mapleton | Gray | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 926 |
1,884 |
8,429Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
| Gray and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Jackson 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 | — | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.