Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mars Hill 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 highest household income ($91k).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Mars Hill | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,398Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Mars Hill 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% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Union 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Union 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% 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 | — | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest 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 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.