Compare towns
Hancock vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most expensive homes ($277k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 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 | Hancock | Mapleton | Unity | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,518 |
1,884 |
1,858Lowest |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4 26% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,800±$51kHighest 7% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
| Hancock and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,171±$65 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
| Thomaston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,869 38% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Mapleton 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 | #117 of 133 in ME | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hancock Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.