Compare towns
Cushing vs Mapleton vs Readfield vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Cushing | Mapleton | Readfield | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
1,884 |
2,651 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Cushing and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest 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 | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Cushing and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Cushing and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Cushing 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.