Compare towns
West Paris vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Bradley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Bradley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
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 | West Paris | Mapleton | Strong | Bradley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,808 |
1,884Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±7.9 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
42.6±9.7 5% below ME |
| Strong and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.9%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.5%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| West Paris and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,324±$5k 25% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$76,667±$28k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$201,800±$37kHighest 32% below ME |
| Bradley and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$333 26% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,088±$325Highest 4% below ME |
| Bradley and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,083Highest 31% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,946 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±7.9 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 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.