What stands out worked out from the figures below

Alton has the most homeowners (83.5%).

Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Alton	Old Town
People
Population	819Lowest	7,470Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-5.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.1±5.9Highest 10% above ME	37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME
Kids under 18	18.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1%	21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1%
	Old Town and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4%	16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Alton and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	36.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,955±$9kHighest 16% below ME	$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME
	Alton and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$179,500±$25kLowest 39% below ME	$208,100±$26kHighest 30% below ME
	Old Town and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$866±$48Lowest 24% below ME	$989±$100Highest 13% below ME
	Old Town and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,476Lowest 51% below ME	$3,153Highest 4% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76.3%±88.9Highest ME: 48.4%	50.3%±15Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Alton and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	24.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	21.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1963Lowest 14 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	20 minLowest 18% below ME
Work from home	15.3%±7.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9%
	Old Town and Alton 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	—	#56 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 34	RSU 34
High school in town	None in town	Old Town High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.