Compare towns
Mapleton vs South Berwick 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).
South Berwick has the most expensive homes ($428k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | South Berwick | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
7,670Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| 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%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Union 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% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| South Berwick and Mapleton 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 |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Union 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and Union 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.