Compare towns
Union vs Freeport vs Appleton vs Hope
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).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Freeport | Appleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
8,802Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Freeport 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% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Hope 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% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport 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% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport 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 |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Freeport and Hope 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 |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Freeport and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Freeport 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and Hope 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 05 | Appleton Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.