Compare towns
Mapleton vs Monroe 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).
Monroe has the most homeowners (87.4%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
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 | Monroe | Strong | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,001Lowest |
1,249 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Strong and Monroe 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% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Monroe 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% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Strong 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% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Mapleton 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 |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Monroe 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 |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Monroe 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 |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Monroe 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 |
$2,207 27% 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% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe 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% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 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 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | 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.