Compare towns
Crystal vs Mapleton vs Union vs Sherman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
Sherman has the most people working from home (28.2%).
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 | Crystal | Mapleton | Union | Sherman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 247Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
947 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
33.4±8.6Lowest 25% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±11.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
33.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sherman and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±0.4 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 | $48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$49,444±$7k 34% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$115,200±$14kLowest 61% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$672±$329 41% below ME |
| Crystal and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,328 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±77.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sherman and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
37.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
28.2%±12.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sherman and Union 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 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.