Compare towns
Union vs Dedham vs Mapleton vs Hope
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 kids (24.9% under 18).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Dedham | Mapleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,656Lowest |
1,884 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Hope 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% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Dedham 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% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Hope 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Mapleton 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 |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Dedham 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 |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Dedham and Hope 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope 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 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.