Compare towns
Union vs Mapleton vs Madison 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 expensive homes ($268k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Madison | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
1,884 |
4,782Highest |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
| Madison and Appleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Madison 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Madison 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$187,600±$40kLowest 37% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Union and Appleton 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$906±$247 20% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Madison 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.