Compare towns
Union vs Brooks vs Mapleton vs Appleton
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 expensive homes ($268k median).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Brooks | Mapleton | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,884 |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Brooks 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% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% 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 |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Union and Brooks 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 |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.