Compare towns
Mapleton vs Union vs Franklin vs Hiram
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 the most people working from home (15.9%).
Franklin has the oldest population (median age 46).
Hiram has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
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 | Franklin | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,663Highest |
1,628Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.6±10.2Lowest 7% below ME |
| Franklin 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Franklin 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 |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% 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 |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Union and Hiram 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 |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
| Union and Hiram 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 |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$2,106 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Franklin 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% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Franklin 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 | — | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.