Compare towns
Springfield vs Appleton vs Union vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Lee has the most homeowners (97%).
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 | Springfield | Appleton | Union | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 310Lowest |
1,360 |
2,663Highest |
925 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±7Highest 17% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Springfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Union and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% 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 | — | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
— |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$1,547 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.6%±5.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Lee 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 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| 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 | 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.