Compare towns
Appleton vs Dedham vs Unity vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dedham | Unity | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,656 |
1,858Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Penobscot 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% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Appleton 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Dedham and Penobscot 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 |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.