Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Alfred
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 homeowners (84.7%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Alfred has the most expensive homes ($342k median).
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 | Mapleton | Unity | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,884 |
1,858Lowest |
3,125 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
44.9±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Alfred 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%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$82,321±$18k 10% 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±$71k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
| Alfred and Bowdoin 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,035±$432Highest 9% below ME |
| Alfred and Unity 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | — | — | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.