Compare towns
Appleton vs Unity vs Milbridge vs Orland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Milbridge has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Orland has the most expensive homes ($277k median).
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 | Unity | Milbridge | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,858 |
1,222Lowest |
1,915Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
50.3±6.2 12% above ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Milbridge 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Milbridge and Appleton 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Milbridge and Orland 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.7% ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
$69,348±$29kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$240,400±$31k 19% below ME |
$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland and Milbridge 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$619±$186Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,149±$177Highest about the ME average |
| Orland 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,022Lowest 33% below ME |
$2,089 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Milbridge 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Milbridge and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 37/MSAD 37 | — |
| High school 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.