Compare towns
Mapleton vs Unity vs Mars Hill
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%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
| Mars Hill 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Unity and Mapleton 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest 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 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| 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.