Compare towns
Mapleton vs Lovell vs Beals 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).
Lovell has the most people working from home (21.8%).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Lovell | Beals | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,353 |
498Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
52.2±3.5Highest 17% above ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Lovell and Beals 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 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% |
26.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Lovell 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% |
36.1% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.3%±4.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lovell and Beals 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 |
$80,625±$20k 8% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$295,000±$47kHighest about the ME average |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Lovell 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 |
$1,419±$178Highest 25% above ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Lovell and Union 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 |
$1,480Lowest 51% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.3%±29.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Lovell and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Lovell and Beals 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 72/MSAD 72 | Beals Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.