Compare towns
Mapleton vs Unity vs Lake Arrowhead
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 oldest population (median age 41.8).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Lake Arrowhead has the most expensive homes ($267k 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 | Lake Arrowhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,858Lowest |
3,322Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
33±2.4 26% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$267,300±$19kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,286 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.