Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Appleton vs Union vs Blaine
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Blaine has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Bridgewater | Appleton | Union | Blaine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 484Lowest |
1,360 |
2,663Highest |
706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
46.3±17 3% above ME |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Blaine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±7.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Blaine and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$80,707±$24k 8% above ME |
| Union and Blaine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$78kLowest 48% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
— |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116 33% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$691±$303Lowest 39% below ME |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417Lowest 53% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$1,804 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 10% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school 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.