Compare towns
Fairfield vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Benton
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 most affordable homes ($164k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Fairfield | Mapleton | Unity | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
1,884 |
1,858Lowest |
2,770 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.8±6 4% below ME |
| Fairfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Benton 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,001±$101 12% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,110±$123Highest about the ME average |
| Benton 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | — | — | #85 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.