Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sumner vs West Paris 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).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
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 | Sumner | West Paris | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
845Lowest |
1,808 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
46±7.9 about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Sumner and West Paris 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% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and West Paris 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Union 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% below 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $838±$333 26% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and West Paris 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,083 31% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and West Paris 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
32 min 32% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Sumner 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 10 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | 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 |
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.