Compare towns
Etna vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Charleston
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 affordable homes ($183k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,252 |
1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,117Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
45.4±5.9Highest about the ME average |
| Charleston and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
11.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Etna and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
12.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16k 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$75,250±$20k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$226,500±$17kHighest 24% below ME |
| Charleston and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$988±$870Highest 13% below ME |
| Charleston and Unity 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,811 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Charleston and Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.