Compare towns
Amity vs Appleton vs Danforth vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amity has the most kids (26.8% under 18).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
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 | Amity | Appleton | Danforth | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 395Lowest |
1,360Highest |
452 |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.5±12.2Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Danforth and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.8%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±5.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Amity and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,000±$26kHighest 13% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Amity and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $155,000±$57k 48% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
| Appleton and Amity 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 |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,102Lowest 64% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,348 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 24% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.2%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Amity 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 | 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.