Compare towns
Mapleton vs Oakland vs Sidney 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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Oakland has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Oakland | Sidney | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
6,309Highest |
4,790 |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Sidney and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Oakland 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%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Sidney 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% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Oakland 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 |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$2,439 20% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #23 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.