Compare towns
Mapleton vs Union vs Lake Arrowhead vs Castle Hill
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 renters (20.1% rent).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
Castle Hill has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,663 |
3,322Highest |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill 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%±4 ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Union 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% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.9% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
| Lake Arrowhead 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 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$267,300±$19k 10% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
| Union and Lake Arrowhead 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±$452 4% above ME |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,286 25% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Union 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% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.