Compare towns
Union vs Waterville 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Waterville | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663 |
17,077Highest |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Waterville 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Union and Waterville 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 |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Union 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.