Compare towns
Mapleton vs Gray vs Monroe 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 the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Monroe has the most homeowners (87.4%).
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 | Gray | Monroe | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
8,429Highest |
1,001Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Monroe and Gray 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%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Monroe 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% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe 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% |
29.1%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% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Monroe 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 |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 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 |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Gray 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 |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$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% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Monroe 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% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 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 |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Gray 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 03/MSAD 03 | 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.