Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brooks vs Mars Hill 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 highest household income ($92k).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Brooks | Mars Hill | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,208Lowest |
1,398 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Brooks and Mars Hill 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% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks 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 |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Brooks 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 |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older 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 |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Brooks 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 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | 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.