Compare towns
Thorndike vs Appleton vs Jackson vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Thorndike | Appleton | Jackson | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,403 |
1,360 |
567Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Appleton and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Appleton and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317 27% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | None in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
— | — | 12.4Highest |
| 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.