Compare towns
Mapleton vs New Sharon 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).
New Sharon has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
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 | New Sharon | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,550Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.9±8.9Highest about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| New Sharon 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% |
20%±4Lowest 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% |
23.8%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| New Sharon 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% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±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 |
$63,889±$21kLowest 15% 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 |
$171,200±$21kLowest 42% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$961±$55 16% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and New Sharon 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 |
$1,889 38% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61%±38Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| New Sharon 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Mapleton 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 09 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.