Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Appleton vs Troy vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Bowdoin | Appleton | Troy | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,360 |
984Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$213,000±$31kLowest 28% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Union 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 |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Troy and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.