Compare towns
Benton vs Mapleton vs Union vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Benton | Mapleton | Union | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,770 |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
6,519Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
| Fairfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$64,101±$11k 14% 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 | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
| Union and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,217 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Fairfield 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | — | — | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.3 |
| 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.