Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sutton vs Waterville 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
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Sutton | Waterville | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
2,239 |
17,077Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
41.6±5.3 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$80,724±$9k about the U.S. average |
| Sutton 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±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
$267,600±$42k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$978±$72 31% below U.S. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$2,755 12% below U.S. |
$3,276 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterville and Sutton 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterville 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 | — | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.


