Compare towns
Waldoboro vs Mapleton vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldoboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Friendship has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Waldoboro | Mapleton | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,253Highest |
1,884 |
1,213Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.1±4.6 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
| Friendship and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,107±$8kLowest 8% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$75,625±$22k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,900±$39k 7% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$275,000±$56kHighest 7% below ME |
| Friendship and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,861Highest 6% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,218 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Friendship and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 3% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Friendship 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 | #55 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.