Compare towns
Mapleton vs Gray vs Casco 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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Casco has the most people working from home (26.6%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Gray | Casco | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
8,429Highest |
3,696 |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
52±3.3Highest 16% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Casco 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$69,313±$19kLowest 7% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$355,500±$58k 20% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Gray and Casco 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 |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,395±$184Highest 22% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Casco and Gray 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 |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,085 about the ME average |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Casco 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Casco and Union 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.