Compare towns
Unity vs Appleton vs Mapleton 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Freedom has the most homeowners (90.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,360 |
1,884Highest |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%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 |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 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% |
34.3%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% |
5%±2.9 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Freedom 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| 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.