Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Mapleton vs Phillips vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
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 | Castle Hill | Mapleton | Phillips | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 281Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,094 |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574Highest 17% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| 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.