Compare towns

Mapleton vs Readfield vs Sumner 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 renters (20.1% rent).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).

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.

MeasureMapletonReadfieldSumnerUnion
People
Population
1,884
2,651
845Lowest
2,663Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
0%
ME: +2.6%
+5.9%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+5.5%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.8±6
7% below ME
48.1±7.6
7% above ME
56.1±8.4Highest
25% above ME
41.6±5.3Lowest
7% below ME
Sumner and Readfield 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%
18.7%±3.9
ME: 18.1%
17.2%±6.9Lowest
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%±3.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
22.3%±4.5
ME: 22.4%
29.7%±5.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
21.4%±3.1
ME: 22.4%
Sumner and Readfield 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%
48.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
15.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
34.4%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5%±2.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2
ME: 5.8%
1.4%±1.4Lowest
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
$86,504±$8k
16% above ME
$57,750±$19kLowest
23% below ME
$80,724±$9k
8% above ME
Mapleton and Readfield 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
$326,400±$20kHighest
10% above ME
$150,000±$73kLowest
49% below ME
$267,600±$42k
10% below ME
Readfield 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
$1,125±$844
about the ME average
—
$1,179±$452Highest
4% above ME
Union and Readfield 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
$3,392Highest
12% above ME
$2,167
29% below ME
$3,276
8% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
16.7%±10.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
31.3%±100
ME: 48.4%
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
24.6%±19.8
ME: 48.4%
Sumner and Readfield 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%
5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
5.8%
ME: 10.7%
10.2%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.9%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
89.9%
ME: 74.3%
91.1%Highest
ME: 74.3%
85.9%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
same as ME
1979Highest
2 yrs newer than ME
1977Lowest
same as ME
1979Highest
2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minLowest
13% above ME
30 min
20% above ME
42 minHighest
72% above ME
29 min
20% above ME
Work from home
10.8%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
24.3%±14.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
18.5%±8
ME: 15.9%
15.9%±5.3
ME: 15.9%
Readfield and Sumner 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 — #20 of 133 in ME — —
School district RSU 79/MSAD 01 RSU 38 RSU 10 RSU 40/MSAD 40
High school in town None in town Maranacook Community High Sch None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.5
— —
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.