Compare towns
Mapleton vs Madison vs Gorham vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most renters (61.1% rent).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Madison | Gorham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
2,676 |
18,300Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.9±12.3Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Madison 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% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Gorham 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$163,900±$59kLowest 45% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$850±$218 25% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Gorham 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 |
$1,740Lowest 43% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Union 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% |
13%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Gorham 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 | — | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.