Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brooks vs Hampden 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).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
Union has the most homeowners (85.9%).
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 | Brooks | Hampden | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,208Lowest |
7,896Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Brooks 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% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest 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+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Hampden 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 |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Hampden 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 |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Hampden 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 |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Hampden 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 |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Hampden 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% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | — | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 22 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.