Compare towns
Lake Arrowhead vs Mapleton vs Union vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lake Arrowhead has the most homeowners (93.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Mapleton | Union | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,322Highest |
1,884 |
2,663 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33±2.4 26% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% 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 | 26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$19k 10% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Union and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,286 25% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 57% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Unity 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 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| 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.