Compare towns
Mapleton vs Gardiner 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).
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k 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 | Gardiner | Dedham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
6,088Highest |
1,656Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Gardiner 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest 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% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Gardiner 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% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Gardiner 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 |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 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 |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$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 |
$2,742 10% 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% |
44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner 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% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Gardiner 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 | — | #36 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardiner Area High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— | — |
| 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.