Compare towns
Mapleton vs Hiram vs Castle Hill 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).
Hiram has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Castle Hill has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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 | Hiram | Castle Hill | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,748 |
281Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±10.2Lowest 7% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Mapleton 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% |
20.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest 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% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Union 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 |
$62,813±$10k 16% below ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
$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±$23k 35% below ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Hiram 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 |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$2,106 31% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Hiram 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% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 55/MSAD 55 | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— | — |
| 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.