Compare towns
Alfred vs Appleton vs Pittston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alfred has the most expensive homes ($342k median).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Alfred | Appleton | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125Highest |
1,360Lowest |
3,093 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Alfred and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
| Pittston and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Alfred and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Appleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543 17% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Alfred 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 | #74 of 133 in ME | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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.