Compare towns
Bangor vs Mapleton vs Union vs Lewiston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Lewiston has the youngest population (median age 37.3).
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 | Bangor | Mapleton | Union | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938 |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 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+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% 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 | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Union and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
| Union and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | — | — | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | None in town | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| 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.