Compare towns
Appleton vs Beals vs Whiting vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Whiting has the most affordable homes ($214k median).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Appleton | Beals | Whiting | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
498Lowest |
506 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
50±5Highest 12% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Whiting and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$55,263±$2k 26% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$214,200±$52kLowest 28% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Beals Public Schools | Whiting Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.