Compare towns
Bucksport vs Mapleton vs Union vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bucksport has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Bucksport | Mapleton | Union | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,105Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
2,769 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±9.8 20% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 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+ | 33.5%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4 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 | $62,011±$4k 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,300±$71k 28% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
| Thomaston and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $855±$77 25% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
| Thomaston and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,801 41% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58%±54 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.7%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Mapleton 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 | #68 of 133 in ME | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.