Compare towns
Mapleton vs Unity vs Parsonsfield
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%).
Parsonsfield has the most expensive homes ($272k 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 | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,715Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
44.3±5.9Highest about the ME average |
| Parsonsfield 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% |
25%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Parsonsfield 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%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Parsonsfield 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% ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$72,045±$18k 4% below ME |
| Mapleton and Parsonsfield 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 |
$272,100±$21kHighest 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,185±$312Highest 4% above ME |
| Parsonsfield 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,350 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
78.2%±35Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Parsonsfield and Unity 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% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
48 minHighest 97% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest 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.