Compare towns
Mapleton vs Pittston vs Bowdoin 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).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
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 | Pittston | Bowdoin | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
3,093 |
3,188Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Bowdoin 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% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 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% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Pittston 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% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Mapleton 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 |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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 |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Bowdoin 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 |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
— | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Pittston 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 |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Bowdoin 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 | — | #123 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.