Compare towns
Union vs Bath vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Union | Bath | Mapleton | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
8,815Highest |
1,884Lowest |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Bath and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 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+ | 21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Bath and Bowdoin 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 |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Union and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276 8% above ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— | — |
| 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.