Compare towns
Starks vs Union vs Mapleton vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% 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 | Starks | Union | Mapleton | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
2,663 |
1,884 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
| Union and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Union 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.