Compare towns
Mapleton vs Unity vs Alexander vs Pittston
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Alexander has the oldest population (median age 52.8).
Pittston has the most expensive homes ($239k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Alexander | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,858 |
553Lowest |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.8±4.2Highest 18% above ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Alexander 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Pittston and Alexander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.2% ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$93,750±$10kHighest 25% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Alexander 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$193,800±$54k 35% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
| Pittston and Unity 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
— | $1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
| Pittston and Unity 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,781Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.7%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Mapleton 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 | — | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Alexander Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| 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.