Compare towns
Union vs Wayne 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).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Mapleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,884 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest 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% |
48.8%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% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Wayne 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 |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Union 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Wayne 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% |
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% |
89.9% 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 |
1980 3 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 24% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Hope 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 38 | 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.