Compare towns
Mapleton vs Unity vs Baldwin vs East Machias
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 highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Baldwin has the most expensive homes ($263k median).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Baldwin | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,170Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$57,589±$10kLowest 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Baldwin 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 |
$263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
$210,800±$23k 29% below ME |
| Baldwin and East Machias 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 |
— | $907±$566Highest 20% below ME |
| East Machias and Unity 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,540Highest 16% below ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | 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.