Compare towns
Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Union vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Warren has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Union | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,188 |
2,663 |
4,932Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% 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%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Bowdoin 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%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren 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 |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
| 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$232,700±$32kLowest 22% 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±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
| Union and Warren 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 |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Warren 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Bowdoin 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 | — | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | 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 Our Story | 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.