Compare towns
Chelsea 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
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($182k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Chelsea | Mapleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,823Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Chelsea and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Chelsea and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 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 | $85,471±$10k 14% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Chelsea and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,313 24% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 48% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest 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 | #93 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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 |
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.