Compare towns
Alna vs Appleton vs Newcastle
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 most affordable homes ($236k median).
Newcastle has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 818Lowest |
1,360 |
1,913Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
| Newcastle and Appleton 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% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Newcastle and Appleton 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 |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
| Alna and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55k 24% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
| Newcastle and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667 21% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle 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.