Compare towns
Union vs Windham vs Hope 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 the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Windham | Hope | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
19,188Highest |
1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Hope and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 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%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Windham 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Windham 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 |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Windham and Hope 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Hope 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 14 | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.