Compare towns
Baileyville vs Union vs Howland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baileyville has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Howland has the most renters (22.1% rent).
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 | Baileyville | Union | Howland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,339Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,367 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±12.6 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
47.6±10.2Highest 6% above ME |
| Howland and Baileyville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Howland and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,000±$19k 20% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$49,297±$21kLowest 34% below ME |
| Union and Baileyville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $112,100±$20kLowest 62% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$150,100±$52k 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$143Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$916±$246 20% below ME |
| Union and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,039Lowest 66% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,546 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67%±35.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29%±18.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Baileyville and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
25.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 53% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Baileyville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Baileyville Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 31/MSAD 31 |
| High school in town | Woodland Jr-Sr High School | None in town | Penobscot Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.