Compare towns
Chapman vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Chapman | Mapleton | Strong | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 388Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,249 |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Strong and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% 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 | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Strong and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,850 39% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 6% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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.