Compare towns
Mapleton vs Milo vs Strong 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).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Milo | Strong | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,165 |
1,249Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Strong and Milo 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% |
16.8%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±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% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong 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% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% 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 |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$879±$400 23% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Strong 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 |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Milo 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% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Union 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 41/MSAD 41 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.