Compare towns
Waterboro vs Mapleton vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterboro has the most expensive homes ($297k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Waterboro | Mapleton | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,055Highest |
1,884 |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.1 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Waterboro and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $297,000±$23kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Waterboro and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461Highest 5% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Waterboro and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772Highest 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterboro and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin 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 | #80 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | Massabesic High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.