Compare towns
Amherst vs Appleton vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most homeowners (96.9%).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Newburgh has the youngest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Amherst | Appleton | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 424Lowest |
1,360 |
1,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.9±9.9Highest 14% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
| Amherst and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±8.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Amherst and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Newburgh and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,656±$12k about the ME average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$76,750±$10kHighest about the ME average |
| Newburgh and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,200±$38kLowest 29% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
| Newburgh and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,527Lowest 50% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 11% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Amherst 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 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.