Compare towns
Union vs North Berwick 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%).
North Berwick has the most expensive homes ($429k 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 | North Berwick | Chapman | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
5,129Highest |
388Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Chapman 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% |
21.2%±5.1 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% |
20.9%±5Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and North Berwick 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 |
$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| North Berwick 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 |
$428,500±$33kHighest 44% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,105±$116 about the ME average |
— | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Union and North Berwick 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 |
$3,735Highest 23% 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% |
66.2%±28.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and North Berwick 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% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest 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 |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and North Berwick 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 | — | #82 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Noble High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.