Compare towns
Union vs Carmel vs Appleton vs Mapleton
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%).
Carmel has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Carmel | Appleton | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
2,941Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Carmel 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% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 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% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Carmel 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 |
$256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Union and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Carmel and Union 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 |
$2,662 12% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Carmel 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Appleton 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 | — | #77 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| 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.