Compare towns
Union vs York vs Appleton vs Bowdoin
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).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
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 | York | Appleton | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
13,986Highest |
1,360Lowest |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| York 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% |
21.1%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and York 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% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| York 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% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest 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 |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| York and Bowdoin 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 |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— |
| York 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 |
$4,658Highest 53% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and York 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 133 in ME | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | York Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | York High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— | — |
| 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.