Compare towns
Appleton vs Arrowsic vs Phippsburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Arrowsic has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Phippsburg has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Appleton | Arrowsic | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
597Lowest |
2,238Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
50.3±8.7 12% above ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Arrowsic and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±11.2 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$99,107±$27k 33% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$584,200±$150kHighest 97% above ME |
$335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,600±$412Highest 40% above ME |
$1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,521 16% above ME |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.6%±9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Arrowsic and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school 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.