Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mount Chase vs Perham 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).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Perham has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Mount Chase | Perham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
280Lowest |
326 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | — | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Perham and Mount Chase 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% |
22.1%±10.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Lowest 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% |
28.9%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Chase and Perham 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% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest 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 |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% 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 |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$117,600±$9k 60% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
— | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Mount Chase 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 |
$1,548Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Mount Chase 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% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Chase 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 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school 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.