Compare towns
Union vs Orient 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 the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
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 | Orient | Mapleton | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
137Lowest |
1,884 |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
62±9Highest 38% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Orient 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% |
16.8%±18.9Lowest 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% |
46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
0%±11.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 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 |
— | $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 |
$548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Union and Mapleton 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 |
— | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orient 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% |
35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
— | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school 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.