Compare towns
Unity vs Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Appleton | Bowdoin | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,360 |
3,188Highest |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Appleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Bowdoin 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
— | — | — |
| 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.