Compare towns
Waterboro vs Mapleton vs Lake Arrowhead
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).
Lake Arrowhead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Waterboro | Mapleton | Lake Arrowhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,055Highest |
1,884Lowest |
3,322 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.1Highest 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
| Waterboro and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest 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±$16kLowest 20% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Mapleton 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 |
$267,300±$19k 10% below ME |
| Waterboro and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461 5% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772Highest 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,286 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 42% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Waterboro 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.