Compare towns
Union vs Appleton vs Castle Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
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 | Union | Appleton | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,360 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest 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 | $80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% 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 | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$574Lowest 17% below ME |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276 8% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.