Compare towns
West Paris vs Mapleton vs Sumner vs Franklin
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).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Franklin has the most expensive homes ($246k 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 | West Paris | Mapleton | Sumner | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,808 |
1,884Highest |
845Lowest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±7.9 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Sumner 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% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Franklin 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,324±$5kLowest 25% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Franklin 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin 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 |
— | $888±$306Highest 22% below ME |
| Franklin and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,083 31% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and West Paris 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 32% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Sumner 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 10 | — |
| 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 | 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.