Compare towns
Union vs Levant vs Mapleton vs West Gardiner
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%).
Levant has the youngest population (median age 39.7).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
West Gardiner has the most expensive homes ($305k 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 | Levant | Mapleton | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
3,069 |
1,884Lowest |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
39.7±2.2Lowest 11% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton 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% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest 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%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
$86,071±$22k 15% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Levant 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 |
$1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,087±$150 5% below ME |
| Levant and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,282 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Levant 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and West Gardiner 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 | — | #124 of 133 in ME | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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.