Compare towns
Mapleton vs Millinocket vs Smithfield 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 renters (20.1% rent).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Millinocket | Smithfield | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
4,115Highest |
856Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
54.2±6.2 21% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Smithfield and Millinocket 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% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest 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% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Smithfield 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% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Millinocket 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 |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Smithfield 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 |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,866 6% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield 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% |
17.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Millinocket Public Schools | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.