Compare towns
Appleton vs Unity vs Union vs Penobscot
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).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Unity | Union | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,858 |
2,663Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Union 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Union 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±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Union and Penobscot 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 |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Union 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 40/MSAD 40 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | 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.