Compare towns
Wells River vs Mapleton vs Whiting vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
Whiting has the most expensive homes ($280k median).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
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 | Wells River | Mapleton | Whiting | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 340Lowest |
1,884Highest |
532 |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.7±5.8 7% above U.S. |
| Wells River and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orleans and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$57,159±$10k 29% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103k 49% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$156,300±$18kLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336 36% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
$810±$94 43% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154 33% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,227Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,019 3% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.3%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mapleton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.