Compare towns
Appleton vs Searsmont vs Unity
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).
Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Searsmont | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,646 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Unity 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% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Searsmont and Unity 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 |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$940±$311 17% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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 |
$2,788 8% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Unity 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont 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 71 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school 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 |
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.