Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Lisbon vs Mapleton vs Unity
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).
Lisbon has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Lisbon | Mapleton | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
9,750Highest |
1,884 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Lisbon 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% |
23.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below 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 |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $979±$286Highest 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Lisbon and Unity 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 |
$3,324 9% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Unity 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | Lisbon High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.8Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.