Compare towns
Anson vs Appleton vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Anson has the most kids (26.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Anson | Appleton | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680Lowest |
1,360 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.3±15.2Lowest 3% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
| Madison and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.2%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 5.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,770±$61kHighest 17% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
| Anson and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $100,400±$28kLowest 66% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
| Appleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$247 20% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
| Appleton and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,207Lowest 60% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 27 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1964 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.