Compare towns
Mapleton vs Gardiner vs Surry 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).
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Gardiner | Surry | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
6,088Highest |
1,836Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest 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% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%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% |
2%±1Lowest 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±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Surry 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 |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Gardiner 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 |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Gardiner 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% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 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 | Surry 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.