Compare towns
Albion vs Mapleton vs Unity vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Albion has the most expensive homes ($231k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
St. Albans has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Albion | Mapleton | Unity | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,204Highest |
1,884 |
1,858 |
1,831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±7.5 18% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
54.3±7Highest 21% above ME |
| St. Albans and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Albion and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,361±$23kLowest 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$65,600±$23k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $230,900±$31kHighest 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$194,000±$28k 35% below ME |
| Albion and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,056±$662Highest 7% below ME |
| St. Albans and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,987 35% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,915 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
85.5%±99.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 36% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.