Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Brooks 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
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Bowdoin | Brooks | Mapleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Brooks and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest 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+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%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 |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Brooks 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.