Compare towns
Van Buren vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Van Buren has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Van Buren | Union |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,858Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.2Highest 25% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 35.3%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Van Buren and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $40,170±$4kLowest 46% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $97,700±$24kLowest 67% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$141Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,415Lowest 53% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.7%±11Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Van Buren and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 23%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 40% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.3%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| School district | RSU 88/MSAD 24 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Van Buren District Secondary Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.