Compare towns
Ashland vs Mapleton vs Union vs Castle Hill
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Castle Hill 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 | Mapleton | Union | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,080 |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
281Lowest |
| 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±9.1 19% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest 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%±8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Castle Hill 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest 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±$15kLowest 37% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$54,250±$14k 27% below 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±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$145,300±$18k 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Union and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511 50% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Ashland 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 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.