Compare towns
Mapleton vs New Vineyard vs Union vs Unity
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 Vineyard has the oldest population (median age 47.5).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 Vineyard | Union | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
607Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±9.5Highest 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| New Vineyard 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% |
24.5%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and New Vineyard 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% |
27%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| New Vineyard 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% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,806±$19kLowest 17% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below 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 |
$190,000±$76kLowest 36% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Union and Unity 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 |
$925±$490 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Union and New Vineyard 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 |
$2,136 30% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±5.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| New Vineyard 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.