Compare towns
Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Lisbon 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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Lisbon has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Bowdoin | Lisbon | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,188 |
9,750Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Bowdoin 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% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon 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 |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Union 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 |
— | $979±$286Lowest 14% 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 |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$3,324 9% above ME |
$3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lisbon 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% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 minLowest 17% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lisbon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.8 |
— |
| 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.