Compare towns
Mapleton vs Unity vs Strong vs Washburn
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%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k 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 | Strong | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,249Lowest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washburn and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn and Strong 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Unity 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% 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±$73 23% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Washburn 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Unity 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.