Compare towns
Ashland vs Mapleton vs Union vs Unity
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 affordable homes ($125k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Ashland | Mapleton | Union | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,080Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1Highest 19% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Ashland and Mapleton 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%±3.6Lowest 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ashland and Union 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% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $46,838±$15kLowest 37% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Union 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 |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Union and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511Lowest 50% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,510 17% 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% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 min 14% 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% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Unity 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 | 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.