Compare towns
Washburn vs Mapleton vs Strong vs West Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most homeowners (84.6%).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
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 | Washburn | Mapleton | Strong | West Paris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,355 |
1,884Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,808 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
46±7.9 about the ME average |
| Washburn and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Paris and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$56,324±$5k 25% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$193,000±$20kHighest 35% below ME |
| West Paris and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$838±$333 26% below ME |
| Strong and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,083Highest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Washburn District High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.