Compare towns
Porter vs Union vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Porter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Union has the highest household income ($81k).
Hiram has the most renters (16.2% rent).
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 | Porter | Union | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,746Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME |
41.6±5.3Highest 7% below ME |
41.6±10.2Highest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Porter and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$62,813±$10k 16% below ME |
| Union and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Union and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,070±$161Lowest 6% below ME |
| Union and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,106 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.