Compare towns
Unity vs Appleton vs Freedom vs Troy
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 youngest population (median age 27.5).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Freedom | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,360 |
670Lowest |
984 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Appleton 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% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Troy 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Freedom and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
| Appleton and Troy 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±$82 3% below ME |
— | $1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy 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 |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Unity 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.