Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Unity vs Mapleton vs Crystal
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Crystal has the most affordable homes ($129k 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 | Castle Hill | Unity | Mapleton | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 281 |
1,858 |
1,884Highest |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8 29% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
| Crystal and Castle Hill 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Crystal and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% 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±$18k 51% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$129,200±$60kLowest 56% 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±$574 17% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Crystal and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449 52% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school 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.