Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Penobscot has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
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 | Mapleton | Penobscot | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Penobscot 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Penobscot 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| 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.