Compare towns
Mapleton vs Beals vs Deer Isle 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).
Beals has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Deer Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Beals | Deer Isle | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
498Lowest |
2,470 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Beals 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% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest 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% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% 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 | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$308,300±$42kHighest 4% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Deer Isle 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 |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Deer Isle 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 |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Deer Isle and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 17% below ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Beals Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.