Compare towns
Gray vs Mapleton vs Union vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 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 | Gray | Mapleton | Union | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,884 |
2,663 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 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+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Gray and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Waldo 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.