Compare towns
Franklin vs Mapleton vs Union vs West Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most renters (23.2% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
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 | Franklin | Mapleton | Union | West Paris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,628Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
1,808 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
46±7.9Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest 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+ | 25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% 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 | $245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
| Union and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306 22% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$838±$333 26% below ME |
| Union and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,083 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Union 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 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.