Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Randolph 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Randolph has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Randolph | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,884 |
1,610Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Randolph 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
12.7%±4.7Lowest 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% |
27.8%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
16.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Union 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$66,574±$16kLowest 11% below 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$174,300±$21kLowest 41% 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 | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,186±$207Highest 4% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Randolph and Union 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,160 29% below 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% |
11.3%±8.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.3%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Bowdoin 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 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 Our Story | 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.