Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Gorham 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 oldest population (median age 44.3).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Mapleton | Gorham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,884Lowest |
18,300Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% 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%±6.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Gorham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Gorham and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.