Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Appleton vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | New Gloucester | Appleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Highest |
1,360Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above 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 | 24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest 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+ | 30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417 13% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and New Gloucester 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.