Compare towns
Unity vs Appleton vs Somerville 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).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
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 | Somerville | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,360 |
837 |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest 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 |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Appleton and Freedom 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% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville 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% |
13.7%±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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% 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% |
1.8%±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 |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Somerville 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 |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,505 17% below 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% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Somerville 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% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% 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 |
1989Highest 12 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 |
27 min 9% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 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 12 | — |
| 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.