Compare towns
Etna vs Mapleton vs Union vs Steuben
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most homeowners (94.9%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
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 | Etna | Mapleton | Union | Steuben |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,252Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
1,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4Highest 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Etna and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 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+ | 18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Steuben and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49k 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$678±$319 40% below ME |
| Union and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 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 | 28 minLowest 12% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Union 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 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.