Compare towns
Thorndike vs Appleton vs Mapleton 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 people working from home (44.7%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,403 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Appleton and Unity 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | None in town | 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.