Compare towns
Unity vs Appleton vs Dedham 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).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Dedham | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,360 |
1,656 |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Appleton and Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Freedom 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% |
18.7%±2.9 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% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest 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% |
3.3%±1.7 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
— |
| Dedham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% 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% |
13%±85.3Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 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 |
30 min 22% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Appleton Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | — |
| 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.