Compare towns
Mapleton vs Danforth vs Peru 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).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Peru has the most homeowners (90.2%).
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 | Danforth | Peru | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
452Lowest |
1,501 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Danforth and Peru 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% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 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% |
22.6%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Peru 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Peru 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 |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% 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 |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$141,300±$38k 52% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$629±$22 45% below ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Peru 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 |
— | $1,799 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Peru 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% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Mapleton 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 56 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school 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.