Compare towns
Mapleton vs Union vs Beals
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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Union | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,663Highest |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
48±15.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Beals 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest 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% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals 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 |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
| Union and Beals 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 |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
| Union and Beals 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Mapleton 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Union 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 40/MSAD 40 | Beals Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.