Compare towns
Ashland vs Danforth vs Mapleton vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Ashland | Danforth | Mapleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,080 |
452Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1Highest 19% above ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Ashland and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.2%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Ashland and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8% ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $46,838±$15k 37% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49k 58% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511Lowest 50% below ME |
— | $1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Ashland and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school 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.