Compare towns
Union vs Jay vs Appleton vs West Gardiner
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).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
West Gardiner has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Jay | Appleton | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
4,657Highest |
1,360Lowest |
3,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and West Gardiner 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% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest 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% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Jay 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 |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,087±$150 5% 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 |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,282 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and West Gardiner 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 73 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.