Compare towns
Mapleton vs Union vs West Gardiner
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%).
West Gardiner has the most expensive homes ($305k median).
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 | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner 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% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Mapleton 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% |
32.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Union 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 |
$1,087±$150 5% below ME |
| Union and West Gardiner 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 |
$2,282 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.