Compare towns
Union vs Owls Head 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 kids (24.9% under 18).
Owls Head has the most expensive homes ($413k median).
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 | Owls Head | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,482 |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
| Owls Head 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% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Owls Head 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% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Union 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 |
$87,325±$7kHighest 17% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Owls Head 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 |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,191±$386Highest 5% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Owls Head 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 |
$2,981Lowest about the ME average |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Owls Head 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% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% 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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Owls Head 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 13 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.