Compare towns
Mapleton vs Strong vs Wales 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 highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the oldest population (median age 47.5).
Wales has the most kids (30.2% under 18).
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 | Strong | Wales | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
1,924 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% 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%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Wales 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 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% ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Wales 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 |
$77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Union 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 |
$250,400±$28k 16% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Wales 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 |
$1,154±$64 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Wales 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 |
$2,578 15% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 04 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oak Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.