Compare towns
Mapleton vs Standish vs Rochester 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).
Standish has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Standish | Rochester | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
10,662 |
33,144Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.6±5.3 7% above U.S. |
| Rochester 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union and Rochester 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% |
36%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3k about the U.S. average |
$80,724±$9kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Standish 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 42% below U.S. |
$336,000±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$279,100±$10k 16% below U.S. |
$267,600±$42k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$983±$453 30% below U.S. |
$1,369±$72Highest 3% below U.S. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
| Rochester 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. |
$3,005 4% below U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
$3,276 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Rochester 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% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Union and Standish 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Rochester School District | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Spaulding High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
13.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.