Compare towns
Dixfield vs Mapleton vs Union vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dixfield has the most affordable homes ($161k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
St. Albans has the oldest population (median age 54.3).
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 | Dixfield | Mapleton | Union | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,300 |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
1,831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.9±4.4 11% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
54.3±7Highest 21% above ME |
| St. Albans and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±5.5 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+ | 21.1%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| St. Albans and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.3Lowest 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 | $70,613±$9k 6% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$65,600±$23kLowest 12% 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 | $160,900±$24kLowest 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$194,000±$28k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $658±$287 42% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,056±$662 7% below ME |
| Union and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,324 23% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,915 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±20.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.5%±99.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 5%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 56 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school in town | Dirigo High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.