Compare towns
Jackson vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
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 | Jackson | Mapleton | Strong | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,884 |
1,249 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest 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+ | 17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.