Compare towns
Mapleton vs Fairfield 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).
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Fairfield | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
6,519Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Fairfield 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% |
19.8%±3.9Lowest 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Fairfield 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 |
$64,101±$11kLowest 14% 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 |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Fairfield 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 |
$2,217 27% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Fairfield 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% |
10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Fairfield 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 | — | #47 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Lawrence High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.