Compare towns
Union vs Calais vs Appleton vs Bowdoin
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 people working from home (15.9%).
Calais has the most affordable homes ($111k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Calais | Appleton | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
3,097 |
1,360Lowest |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Bowdoin 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% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Bowdoin 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% |
24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Calais 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% |
25.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Appleton 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 |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin 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±$42k 10% below ME |
$111,100±$36kLowest 63% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Union 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 |
$1,010±$199Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% 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 |
$1,684Lowest 45% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Calais 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% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #48 of 133 in ME | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Calais Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.