Compare towns
Crystal vs Sidney vs Union
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 most affordable homes ($129k median).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Sidney | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 247Lowest |
4,790Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±11.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Sidney 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 |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Sidney 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±$60kLowest 56% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Sidney and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,179±$452Lowest 4% above ME |
| Crystal and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $943Lowest 69% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school 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.