Compare towns
Alna vs Union vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most expensive homes ($367k median).
Union has the most renters (14.1% rent).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Alna | Union | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 818 |
2,663Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Mercer and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Alna and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16kHighest 25% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
| Alna and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$238,500±$32kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667Highest 21% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Alna and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school 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.