Compare towns
Winterport vs Appleton vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winterport has the highest household income ($98k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Winterport | Appleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,850Highest |
1,360Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±5.5 6% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Winterport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Winterport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±4.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Winterport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,333±$21kHighest 32% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Winterport and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,000±$43kHighest 5% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Winterport and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,646Lowest 13% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.8%±25.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Winterport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.4%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #53 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 22 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.