Compare towns
Unity vs Limerick vs Appleton vs Thorndike
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Limerick has the highest household income ($101k).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Limerick | Appleton | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
3,400Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
40.4±9.2 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Appleton and Limerick 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% |
18.7%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Limerick 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% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Limerick and Thorndike 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 |
$269,400±$29kHighest 9% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
| Limerick and Appleton 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 |
$1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,520 17% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest 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% |
6.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
36 min 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | — | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.