Compare towns
Hiram vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Baldwin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hiram has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Hiram | Mapleton | Unity | Baldwin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,170Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
| Baldwin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
| Mapleton and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
| Baldwin and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,070±$161Highest 6% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
— |
| Hiram and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,106 31% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,540Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 28% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 55/MSAD 55 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.