Compare towns
Hiram vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Canaan
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 most expensive homes ($257k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
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 | Canaan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
1,858 |
2,063Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.6%Lowest 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 |
44.2±6.1Highest about the ME average |
| Canaan 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%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.8%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canaan and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,813±$10k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$57,781±$13kLowest 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$42kHighest 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$159,900±$28kLowest 46% below ME |
| Hiram and Unity 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 |
$922±$252 19% below ME |
| Hiram and Canaan 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,530Lowest 50% 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% |
24.3%±27.3 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 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 |
34 minHighest 38% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.1%±2.2Lowest 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 | RSU 54/MSAD 54 |
| High school in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| 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.