Compare towns
Union vs Wiscasset 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).
Wiscasset has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Wiscasset | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663 |
3,874Highest |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
48.8±6.3 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Wiscasset 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% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Wiscasset 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% |
36.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest 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±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$71,118±$37k 5% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Union and Wiscasset 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 |
$325,200±$26kHighest 10% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
| Wiscasset and Union 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 |
$1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Wiscasset and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,550 17% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4Lowest 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%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% |
82.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 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 |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wiscasset and Union 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 | — | #108 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Wiscasset Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Wiscasset Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2 |
— |
| 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.