Compare towns
Buxton vs Gray vs Mapleton vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the highest household income ($100k).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Buxton | Gray | Mapleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
8,429 |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Buxton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 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+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Buxton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Gray and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Buxton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 13% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Gray 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.