Compare towns
Mapleton vs Belgrade vs Dedham 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).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Belgrade | Dedham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
3,351Highest |
1,656Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Belgrade and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Dedham 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% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Dedham 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 |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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 |
$857±$108 25% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Dedham 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 |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Belgrade 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% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Union 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None 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.