Compare towns
Andover vs Appleton vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Athens has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
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 | Andover | Appleton | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 679Lowest |
1,360Highest |
791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.9Highest 16% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
| Andover and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.8%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Andover and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,922±$9kLowest 33% below ME |
$53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
| Appleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,300±$22k 43% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,513 50% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 16.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.2%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Andover and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Andover Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Athens Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.