Compare towns
Chesterville vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Steuben
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k 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 | Chesterville | Mapleton | Unity | Steuben |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4 16% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
| Mapleton and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
| Chesterville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$678±$319 40% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Steuben 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.