Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Hermon vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Hermon | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
6,727Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 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+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Hermon and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Hermon and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Hermon and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.6 |
— |
| 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.