Compare towns
Alna vs Appleton vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Alna | Appleton | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 818 |
1,360Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16kHighest 25% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667Highest 21% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.