Compare towns
Troy vs Appleton vs Burnham vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Burnham has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
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 | Troy | Appleton | Burnham | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 984 |
1,360 |
953Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.4±3.2 8% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Troy and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$59,261±$18k 21% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
| Unity and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$178,100±$43kLowest 40% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Appleton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$211 10% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Burnham and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,897 38% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 50 minHighest 102% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Burnham 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 | None in town | None in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.