Compare towns
Franklin vs Millinocket vs Union vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 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 | Franklin | Millinocket | Union | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,628 |
4,115Highest |
2,663 |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3 about the ME average |
54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Millinocket and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Franklin 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Union and Franklin 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 |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% 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 |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$488±$96 57% 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 |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Mars Hill 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% |
17.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Franklin 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | — | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
— | 8.0Lowest |
| 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.