Compare towns
Appleton vs Wales vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
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 | Wales | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,924 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Union 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% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Wales and Union 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% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Union 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% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wales 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±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$250,400±$28k 16% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,154±$64 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Wales 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 |
$2,578Lowest 15% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wales 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% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 minLowest 14% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Wales 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 04 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oak Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.