Compare towns
Mapleton vs Strong vs Union vs Pittston
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 highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Strong | Union | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
2,663 |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest 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%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Union 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% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Union and Pittston 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | — | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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.