Compare towns
Union vs Mount Desert 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 kids (24.9% under 18).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
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 | Mount Desert | Appleton | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,671 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Mount Desert 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Mount Desert 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 |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Mapleton 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$3,512 16% above 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% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mount Desert 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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 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.