Compare towns
Appleton vs Newburgh vs Wade vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Newburgh | Wade | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,475 |
244Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Wade 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% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Newburgh 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% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Newburgh 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union and Newburgh 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 |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Newburgh 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 |
$950±$219Lowest 17% 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 |
$2,748 9% below ME |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school 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.