Compare towns
Lake Arrowhead vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Buckfield
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 expensive homes ($267k median).
Mapleton has the oldest population (median age 41.8).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Buckfield has the most homeowners (94.9%).
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 | Unity | Buckfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,322Highest |
1,884 |
1,858Lowest |
2,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33±2.4 26% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.7±10.1 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Buckfield 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Buckfield 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%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Buckfield 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$77,917±$41k 4% above 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±$19kHighest 10% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,286 25% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,860Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 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 |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Buckfield 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| 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.