Compare towns
Union vs Owls Head 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).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Owls Head | Mapleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,482Lowest |
1,884 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Owls Head 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% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Hope 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% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4% ME: 36.2% |
39.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 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 |
$87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Owls Head 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 |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Owls Head and Hope 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 |
$1,191±$386 5% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Owls Head 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 |
$2,981 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Owls Head 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% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 20% above ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 | RSU 13 | 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.