Compare towns
Union vs Sidney vs Bowdoin 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%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Sidney | Bowdoin | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
4,790Highest |
3,188 |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Bowdoin 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% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest 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% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
| Sidney and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Union 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 18 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.