Compare towns
Appleton vs Arundel vs New Gloucester
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).
Arundel has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
New Gloucester has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Arundel | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
4,418 |
5,766Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.9±6.4 9% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Appleton and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Arundel 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 |
$101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Arundel 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 |
$421,300±$62kHighest 42% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
| Arundel and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
| Arundel and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,763Highest 24% above ME |
$3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| New Gloucester and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #7 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 21 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.