Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sheldon vs Pittston vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sheldon has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Sheldon | Pittston | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
2,267 |
3,093Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.4±5.9 6% above U.S. |
41.6±5.3 7% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$86,614±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$80,724±$9k about the U.S. average |
| Mapleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$238,700±$66k 28% below U.S. |
$267,600±$42k 20% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,080±$593 24% below U.S. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$3,578Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,909 39% below U.S. |
$3,276 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±34.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Union and Sheldon 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.