Compare towns
Mapleton vs Hancock vs Windham 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).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Hancock | Windham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
2,518 |
19,188Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 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% |
30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Windham 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 |
$72,285±$5kLowest 3% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$276,800±$51k 7% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,171±$65 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$1,869 38% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock and Windham 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% |
8.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #117 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hancock Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.