Compare towns
Fairfield vs Mapleton vs Union vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Fairfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Fairfield | Mapleton | Union | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
2,356 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
34.2±7.7Lowest 24% below ME |
| Fairfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$52,409±$23kLowest 30% 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 | $164,300±$28k 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,001±$101 12% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,013±$142 11% below ME |
| Union and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,217 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,119 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Fairfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
16.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 25% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Fairfield 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 | #47 of 133 in ME | — | — | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
— | — | — |
| 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.