Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mars Hill 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
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Mars Hill | Windham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,398Lowest |
19,188Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Mars 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% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
26%Lowest 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% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$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 |
$1,843 39% 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% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Windham and Mars Hill 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest 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 | — | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 14 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| 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.