Compare towns
Union vs Berwick vs Sidney vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Berwick has the most renters (27% rent).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Berwick | Sidney | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
1,998 |
4,790Highest |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Sidney and Berwick 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% |
22.5%±12.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Sidney 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% |
35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
$81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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 |
$323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Sidney 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.