Measured against area pay, Mapleton costs less to live in than 72% of U.S. towns
Up 6.9% in a year, 39% below the Maine typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of Aroostook County, ME ($57K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 1 sale in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across Aroostook County earn ($57K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 3.4 years of area income, and 17% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $250Ktypical home, 39% below the Maine typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $1,500a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 3.4 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$57K, Aroostook County income
- 13%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 22%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What stands out about housing in Mapleton
What’s behind Mapleton’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Mapleton is more affordable than 72% of U.S. towns. Home prices pull the grade down most; rent holds it up.
Prices here have kept pace with Maine: up 30.6% in five years, against 26.8% statewide (Zillow).
Up 6.9% in a year
Faster than Maine (1.6%).
Show as a table
| January | Mapleton | Maine |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $146,000 | $205,000 |
| 2018 | $149,000 | $219,000 |
| 2019 | $151,000 | $232,000 |
| 2020 | $153,000 | $244,000 |
| 2021 | $173,000 | $285,000 |
| 2022 | $203,000 | $333,000 |
| 2023 | $216,000 | $364,000 |
| 2024 | $225,000 | $395,000 |
| 2025 | $229,000 | $408,000 |
| 2026 | $240,000 | $409,000 |
| September 2026 | $250,000 | $412,000 |
A typical Mapleton home worth $145K in October 2016 is worth about $250K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A year’s rent takes 13% of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Mapleton’s own median, or type yours.
That’s $29K short of a typical Mapleton home.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,500 a month here, $0 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Mapleton’s typical property tax (0.93% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,500
Renters already here pay a median of $610, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Aroostook County, ME): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
No new homes permitted in 2025
No permits for new homes were issued in Mapleton in 2025. The last year with any was 2024 (10 new homes).
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Mapleton's population fell by 62 even though 28 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. Across Maine: 0.9 new residents per new home.
Every year as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 2 | 2 | 0 | $662,000 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 10 | 8 | 2 | $2.8 million |
| 2023 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2022 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $80,000 |
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $80,000 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $740,000 |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $815,000 |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $485,000 |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $680,000 |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $242,000 |
| 2014 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $811,000 |
| 2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $250,000 |
| 2012 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $611,000 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $175,000 |
| 2010 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $640,000 |
| 2009 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $870,000 |
| 2008 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $472,000 |
| 2007 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2006 | 15 | 15 | 0 | $2.4 million |
| 2005 | 19 | 19 | 0 | $2.5 million |
| 2004 | 22 | 22 | 0 | $2.9 million |
| 2003 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $389,000 |
| 2002 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $284,000 |
| 2001 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2000 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1 million |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
Property tax runs below the Maine norm
The median bill is $1,789 (Maine: $3,036), 0.93% of a home’s value a year, against 1.02% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Mapleton vs. its neighbors
Of the 2 towns here with a Zillow value, Mapleton has the 2nd-lowest.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mapleton | B+ | $250K | $192K | 0.93% | $1,500 |
| Washburn | A | $145K | $113K | 1.39% | $990 |
| Chapman | – | — | $186K | 1.00% | $1,500 |
| Castle Hill | – | — | $145K | 1.00% | $1,500 |
“—” under Cost: not graded (too little Census data, or under 1,000 residents). “—” under Zillow: Zillow publishes no value for that town, so it’s left blank rather than mixed with Census figures.
Questions about the cost of living in Mapleton
Is Mapleton expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Mapleton costs less than 72% of U.S. towns: a B+ for cost of living. The typical home costs 3.4 years of the median household income of Aroostook County, ME ($57K).
How much does a house cost in Mapleton?
About $250K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 6.8% in a year. The Maine typical home is $412K.
What salary do you need to live in Mapleton?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $64,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $1,500 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $60,000.
How much is rent in Mapleton?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,500 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $610 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Mapleton?
The median bill is $1,789 a year, 0.93% of the median home value (Maine: $3,036, 1.02%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Mapleton going up?
Yes: up 6.8% in the past year and 30.6% in five years, against 26.8% across Maine (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Mapleton buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.