Compare towns
Union vs Dedham vs Chapman 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 people working from home (15.9%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Dedham | Chapman | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,656 |
388Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Union 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% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Dedham and Chapman 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 |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
— | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Dedham 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
94.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 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 | Dedham Public Schools | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.