Compare towns
Mapleton vs Union vs Waldo vs Wayne
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%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Waldo | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,663Highest |
926Lowest |
1,101 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Union and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Wayne 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% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.