Compare towns
Mapleton vs Perham vs Waldo 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).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 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 | Perham | Waldo | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
326Lowest |
926 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Perham 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% |
19.6%±8.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Perham 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% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest 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 |
$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% 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 |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Waldo 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 |
— | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Waldo 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 |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Perham 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% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Waldo-Region 7 | 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 | 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.