Compare towns
West Gardiner vs Mapleton vs China
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
China has the most homeowners (91.8%).
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 | West Gardiner | Mapleton | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696 |
1,884Lowest |
4,526Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| China and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
| China and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
| West Gardiner and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,282 25% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,535Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
| West Gardiner and China 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 | #90 of 133 in ME | — | #27 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.