Compare towns
Ashland vs Danforth vs Union vs Oakfield
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 most renters (33.9% rent).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Oakfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Union | Oakfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,080 |
452Lowest |
2,663Highest |
629 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7% ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
57.7±6.3Highest 29% above ME |
| Oakfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Oakfield and Ashland 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
10.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Ashland and Union 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$46,378±$3k 38% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49k 58% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$144,300±$46k 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$592±$261Lowest 48% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511 50% below ME |
— | $3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,272Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
21.6%±13.6 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
69.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
19 minLowest 25% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | 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.