Compare towns
Mapleton vs Thorndike vs Troy vs Unity
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).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Troy has the oldest population (median age 49.3).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Thorndike | Troy | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,403 |
984Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Troy 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike 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 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Troy and Unity 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 |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Troy and Unity 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
36 min 46% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Troy 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 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| 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.