Compare towns
Mapleton vs Orono vs Union vs Washburn
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).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% 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 | Orono | Union | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
11,902Highest |
2,663 |
1,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washburn 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% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn 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% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% 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 |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
| Orono and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Orono 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 |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Washburn 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% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Orono 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 | — | #26 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 26 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | Orono High School | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| 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.