Compare towns
Greene vs Mapleton vs Union vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Greene has the highest household income ($98k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Auburn has the most renters (40.9% rent).
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 | Greene | Mapleton | Union | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,417 |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.7±4.9Lowest 11% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Greene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,093±$16kHighest 31% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME |
| Greene and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $270,000±$23k 9% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
| Auburn and Greene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$224Highest 5% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
| Greene and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,965 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±20.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Greene and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
22 minLowest 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Greene 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 | #69 of 133 in ME | — | — | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 5 photos → | 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.