Compare towns
Blue Hill vs Mapleton vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blue Hill has the most expensive homes ($400k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Blue Hill | Mapleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,813Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.2Highest 8% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Blue Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest 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+ | 29.6%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Blue Hill and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,377±$17kLowest 8% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above 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 | $399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$638 9% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,907 4% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill and Union 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 | #29 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Blue Hill Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.